SCHOLASTIC SCOPE DIGITAL LESSON • SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

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CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >

DIGITAL LESSON

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READWRITETHINKCONNECT

THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE®

®

TM READWRITETHINKCONNECT

READWRITETHINKCONNECT®

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READWRITETHINKCONNECT®

TMREADWRITETHINKCONNECT®

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Step-by-step, whiteboard-ready

FEATURED SKILLS

Analyzing Character and Point of View

MAIN OBJECTIVES

to read and understand a classical Greek myth to examine character traits and point of view to gather information and ideas from multiple texts and media to participate in class discussion to write an argument essay

The Monster in the Cave

Approximate time to complete lesson: three to four class periods

Students will read and discuss a Readers Theater adaptation of the myth of Odysseus and the Cyclops. They will then complete a worksheet that guides them to analyze the main

characters’ traits. After watching a video that presents the same story from the Cyclops’ point of view, students will again describe the characters’ traits. Finally, students will write an

essay about whether the characters got what they deserved.

SUMMARY

,

SCHOLASTIC SCOPE DIGITAL LESSON • SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

USE

S: C

OPY

MAC

HIN

E, O

PAQU

E PR

OJEC

TOR,

OR

TRAN

SPAR

ENCY

MAS

TER

FOR

OVER

HEA

D PR

OJEC

TOR.

SCH

OLAS

TIC

INC.

GRA

NTS

SUBS

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ASTI

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PERM

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PROD

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AGE

FOR

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IN

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R CL

ASSR

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2012

BY

SCH

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ALL

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RES

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1CLASS READINGDuration: 25 minutes

Have your students open their magazines

to The Monster in the Cave and ask them if

they recognize the character depicted in the

illustration. Tell them that the story of the

Cyclops comes from The Odyssey, a nearly

3,000-year-old epic poem by Homer. Ask a

student to read aloud the “As You Read” box

on page 18. Then assign parts and read the

play as a class.

2 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONSDuration: 15 minutes

Project the worksheet “Critical-Thinking

Questions.” Discuss the answers as a class to

check comprehension.

3WORKSHEET ON CHARACTER TRAITS AND POINT OF VIEW

Duration: 20 minutes Distribute the worksheet “Epic Traits.” Have

students work in groups to complete the

first section, “Based on the Play,” which asks

students to analyze and describe Odysseus and

Polyphemus.

4 VIDEO VIEWING: POINT OF VIEW

Duration: 30 minutes Introduce the video “Cyclops: My Side of the

Story” by telling students they are about to

see a video presenting the events of the play

from Polyphemus’ point of view. Show the

video. Then have students return to their

groups to complete the second section of

the “Epic Traits” worksheet, “Based on the

Video.” Students should write their conclusion

paragraphs individually.

5WRITING PROMPTDuration: 20 minutes

Have students draw on evidence from both the

play and the video to respond to the writing

prompt on page 21: What character traits

helped Odysseus escape the Cyclops? Do you

think both Odysseus and the Cyclops got what

they deserved? Why or why not? This can be an

in-class or at-home assignment.

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MATERIALS

Click the links below.

�student copies of the play The Monster in the Cave from the September 3, 2012, issue of Scope

Scope worksheet “Critical-Thinking Questions”

Scope worksheet “Epic Traits”

Scope video “Cyclops: My Side of the Story”

answer key for worksheets