Title: Comparing Superheroes to Heroes in Greek/Roman and Norse Myths

By: Corinne Bost and Ashley Duncan

Primary Subject: Language Arts

Grade Level: 10th

Lesson Duration: 55 minute period

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

·  Compare attributes of heroes in mythology to modern superheroes.

·  Discuss classic mythology and its influence on modern entertainment.

ESOL Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Pre-Production:

·  Point to attributes that modern superheroes and mythological heroes have in common.

Early Production:

·  Use words and short sentences to describe modern superheroes compared to those in mythology.

Speech Emergence:

·  Participate in class discussion.

·  Use short sentences to describe modern superheroes and mythological heroes.

Intermediate Fluency:

·  Participate in class discussion.

·  Compare and contrast modern superheroes and mythological heroes.

Materials:

·  pens

·  pencils

·  paper

·  transparency

Quickwrite(10 minutes):

Teacher will write “What is a superhero?” on the board.

Ask students to write down what ever they know about superheroes: names, powers, history, secret identity, and any other facts they know.

Introduction(15 minutes):

“Now that we have read the myths of Ancient Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia let look at the influence that they have on today’s superheroes”.

·  Teacher will have students volunteer the answers that they can up with and write them on the overhead.

·  Teacher will then have students get out their notes on the heroes of Greek/Roman and Norse myths.

·  Teacher will then ask students to name any similarities between the heroes studied and superheroes. The teacher will then write these answers on an overhead.

Activity(20 minutes):

·  Teacher will then ask students to write a short story uniting one of the heroes discussed in mythology and one of today’s superheroes.

The story will include:

·  A problem the heroes are trying to solve.

·  How their skill/strengths/power work together in order to solve this problem.

·  Why these two heroes should be paired together.

Wrap-up(10 minutes):

·  Teacher will have students volunteer to share their stories.

·  Teacher will then asks student what role mythology they think played in the creation of the superheroes.

Homework:

·  Student will write a journal entry on if they think that the superheroes they chose should really be called heroes. Why or Why not.

Assessment:

·  Completion of short story answering the three questions.

·  Participation in class discussion.

ESOL Assessment:

Pre-Production:

·  Being able to point to attributes the heroes have in common.

Early Production:

·  Write a short entry in their journal describing superheroes and the other heroes discussed during the unit.

Speech Emergence:

·  Write a short entry in their journal describing superheroes and the other heroes discussed during the unit.

·  Participation in class discussion.

Intermediate Fluency:

·  Completion of short story answering the three questions.

·  Participation in class discussion.