Grade level:     6 - 7   Subjects:     Language Arts     Science
	(Students may bypass the initial lesson plan information and click above for procedures.)

  Learner Outcomes:
    The students will learn about the influence of classical mythology on words in the English language,  literary allusions to mythology, and mythology's influence in naming the days of the week and the planets in our solar system.  In addition, students will create a new name for a tenth planet based upon a character/story from classical mythology.

  Duration of Lesson:
    3 - 4 days

  Materials:
    Computer with Internet access
    Dictionaries
 

  Technology tools:
  Internet access

  Teacher notes:
  A signed acceptable use policy should be on file.

Procedures:
  1. For the language arts component, instruct students to complete the interactive worksheet, Words from Mythology and then click the link from the worksheet page to check their responses.
   2. For the language arts component, instruct students to click here to learn how classical mythology appears in today's everyday speech.
   3. For the language arts component, instruct students to click here to learn about allusions and literary references to mythology.
   4. For the science component, instruct students to click the appropriate link below to learn about:
     *How the planets were named from mythology
     *How, in the southern countries of Europe, the days of the week were named after the gods of the Greeks and Romans
     *How the days of the calendar week were named from planets which, in turn, were named         from mythology

    5. After learning how the planets were named from mythology, have students pretend that they are naming a newly discovered planet.  Have them create the new planet's description, including location in relationship to existing planets, size, color, etc...  Students must name the planet using a name derived from a mythological character whose attributes fit the characteristics of the new planet.  For existing planetary descriptions, photos, and relationship to mythology, visit the following site:
    The Nine Planets a Multimedia Tour of the Solar System.

    6.  Have students create a drawing of the new planet.  Add the new planet's name and the reason for the name to the drawing and create a poster to display in the classroom.  (These drawings can also be scanned and added to a PowerPoint presentation along with others to make a slide show for the class.)

  Modifications:
    Adjustments should be made according to students' I.E.P.'s.

Enrichment Activities:
  Latin and Greek elements used in the English language
    Mythology crossword puzzles

  Evaluation/Assessment:
    Instruct students to click here to do a vocabulary exercise as an assessment of the lesson.

West Virginia IGO's and National Standards:
  English Lang Arts IGO's:
           6.11, 6.14, 6.16, 6.17, 6.18, 6.19, 6.22, 6.26, 6.27, 6.32,
           6.33, 6.34, 6.35, 6.44, 6.48, 6.52, 6.54, 6.60, 6.65, 6.67,
           6.82, 6.132, 6.135, 6.136, 6.137, 6.139, 6.140, 6.141,
           6.153, 6.154, 6.156, 6.160, 7.19 - 7.37, 7.38 - 7.50, 7.52, 7.66
   Science IGO's:
           6.1, 6.5, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.10, 6.11, 6.16, 6.63, 6.74, 6.83,
           6.84, 6.98

   National Standards for Language Arts:
          *Gathers and uses information for research purposes
          *Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process
          *Demonstrates competence in the general strategies for reading a variety of literary texts
   National Standards for Science:
          *Understands essential ideas about the composition and structure of the universe and the Earth's    place in it.

  Job/Career Clusters:
    Fine Arts and Humanities

  References:
    http://www.mythweb.com/today/today01.html
    www.ucar.edu.com
    http://www.eliki.com/ancient/myth/daily/
    http://www.greenheart.com/billh/origin.html
 
 

Authors:
     Mark Graham, Melissa Ridenour, & Vicky Neal
     Bruceton School - Preston County Schools