Lesson plan based on Cycladic Figure

Interpret the myth of Arachne and its depiction of women’s activities and valued traits.

Skills and Focus: Reading, Discussion, Critical Analysis

Subject Area: English Language Arts

Thematic Connection: Myths and Legends

Grade Level: Middle School

Time Needed: 50 minutes

Objectives

• Understand the myth of Arachne and the concept of metamorphosis.

• Discuss the activities, concerns, and other aspects of women's lives in ancient Greece.

• Understand ancient myths as explanations for curious natural phenomena.

Instructional Materials Needed

Story: Who Is This?

Print Resources:

• Gates, Doris. "Arachne," in Wind by the Sea. Needham: Silver Burdett and Ginn, 1989.

pp. 496-501. (for basic students)

• Warner, Rex. "Arachne," in Adventures for Readers Book One. Orlando: Harcourt Brace

Jovanovich, 1989. (for advanced students)

Activity

Step 1: Watch the story Who Is This?, which introduces the myth of Arachne as a story that details events in the lives of Greek women and explains a natural phenomenon. Then have students read one of the stories noted above, asking them to note details about the characteristics and activities of women in ancient Greece (e.g., skill at weaving, grace, speed, vanity, knowledge of mythology, pride).

Step 2: Categorize these characteristics as "positives" (skill at weaving, grace, speed, knowledge) or "negatives" (pride and vanity). Ask students which characteristics are more powerful in the eyes of the gods.

Step 3: Introduce students to the concept of metamorphosis, defining the word for them and providing examples from nature (caterpillar to butterfly and tadpole to frog). Then, discuss Minerva's punishment.

Critical Thinking Ask students to

• judge whether or not Arachne deserves it and why.

• explain wow Minerva changes Arachne.

• recognize whether Arachne's metamorphosis suits her story and explain how.

Step 4: Finally, explain how myths help explain curious developments in nature. Review the end of the story, discussing the details of Arachne’s physical transformation. Tell students that traces of the legend of Arachne can be found in contemporary English, in words like arachnid, arachnoid, and arachnophobia. Have students look up these words in a dictionary and explain what each words means and how it relates to the legend.

Goals

This activity meets Illinois State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency.

This activity meets Illinois State Goal 2: Understand explicit and implicit meaning in literature representing individual, community, national, world, and historical perspectives.

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