LESSON: A STORY OF FIRE
TIME: 3 class periods
SUBJECT AREA:
Science
History
Critical Thinking
Group Work
CONCEPT: Fire is both a benefit and a detriment to man.
OBJECTIVE:
- Recall facts from the printed material.
- Provide opportunity to learn the positive and negative
aspects of fire.
- Develop basic debating techniques.
- Use writing and outline skills.
- Listen attentively to opinions of others.
RESOURCE MATERIAL:
Handouts A, B, C and D.
SPARKS FOR LEARNING:
Introduce types of stories to the class.
The word "mythology" is derived from the Greek words mythos
(story) and logos (talk) and refers to a type of storytelling.
These stories usually deal with the gods of ancient times. Myths
are used to tell how things in the world began, and were written
before recorded history, as we now know it. Myths are different
from legends because legends are usually based on historical
events.
Distribute handout A and have the class read "The Story of
Prometheus." Discuss the story with the class.
Have students complete handout B.
Discuss students response in class.
Possible answers for handout B.
1. Fire gives warmth, it is the start of technology,
farming, industry, transportation, and war. Discuss connections
between making tools, heating homes, fueling cars, trains, and
airplanes.
2. Prometheus might have been trying to prove superior power
and intelligence. He might have been challenging authority, and a
victory over Zeus might have given him the respect of man.
3. Discuss brains, strength, athletic ability, wealth, good
looks, intellect, etc. Discuss sports heroes, movie and TV
heroes, political heroes, etc.
4. Discuss positives -- ease of living, less work. Discuss
negatives -- destruction, pollution, people treated as numbers,
higher fuel bills, etc.
5. Answers will vary.
Introduce a three-part outline: main idea, sub-topic and
supporting details.
Give students a topic to outline. Allow 20 minutes to
complete. Soliciting input from class place answers on
chalkboard. Correct any misconceptions. Then have the students
outline this topic: Fire in Today's World.
Have students use outline format on handout C.
Introduce and demonstrate basic debating techniques using a
simple platform. For example, students should buy school lunches
vs. students should bring lunches from home.
Divide class into two groups in order to prepare for the
debate using the statement fire is beneficial vs. fire is a
detriment. When students have completed handout C have them
debate the given issue. Upon completion of student's debate
ask class members to summarize information presented.
Drawing from information learned in previous activities have
students complete handout D. A Greek Story
HANDOUT A
A GREEK STORY
Characters:
Prometheus (pro me thee us), Gave the gift of fire to man.
Belonged to the race of Titan (Giant cousins of the gods), a
friend of human kind, a rebel. His name means "forethought."
Zeus (zoos) -- Ruler of gods and man.
According to Greek myth, Prometheus was given the task of
creating. Prometheus did this by mixing water and clay in
his huge hands and shaping in forms of the gods. Prometheus
was proud of his creations and was determined to make them
superior to animals. He petitioned Zeus to give his
creations the comforts and benefits of fire.
With fire, one could keep warm, cook food, make tools for
farming, create weapons, build houses, build ships, and wage
war. Zeus refused to give fire to human kind because he was
afraid that with these things humans would become too
strong. Prometheus was angry, so he traveled swiftly to the
sun, lit a torch, and carried the gift of fire down to
humans.
Zeus was very angry for what Prometheus did and had him
chained to a rock and sent a vulture to tear at his liver.
After many centuries, a hero named Hercules freed Prometheus
and killed the vulture.
STUDENT HANDOUT B
1. Why is fire so important and what would life be like
without it?
2. Why would a hero like Prometheus endanger himself just to
make life better for man?
3. What is your definition of a hero?
4. List 2 good things and 2 bad things about technology.
5. Prometheus thought that to deny human kind the gift of
fire was to deprive humans and keep man at the level of
animals. Zeus believed that without fire the human was
happy and would never go to war. Who was right? Why?
STUDENT HANDOUT C
The Great Debate
You will participate in the great debate in an ancient Greek
theater. Depending on which side you’ve selected to represent,
write a paragraph stating why fire is beneficial to humans or why
fire is a detriment to humans.
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
STUDENT HANDOUT D POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
Zeus argued that with the gift of fire, humans would discover
how powerful he could be and would finally cause his own
destruction. Make a list of the positive things that can be done
with fire and the negative things that can be done with fire.
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
EVALUATION:
The student will:
Answer written questions correctly.
Use correct debating techniques.
Write a paragraph about fire.
Listen attentively.
Prepare a three-step outline.