Acropolis Adventure - Lesson Plans

Build Background

Ask students to tell what they know about Greece and the Acropolis. Ask a student to locate Greece on a classroom map. Ask if anyone knows any other famous landmarks in Greece and, if so, to tell about them.
Ask students to close their eyes and visualize, or picture in their mind, a two-story high, marble octagon with eight carved figures on top. Ask them to share what they see.

Preview the Book

Introduce the Book

Give students a copy of the book and have them preview the front and back covers and read the title. Have students discuss what they see on the covers and offer ideas as to what kind of book this is and what it might be about.
Invite students to preview the rest of the book by looking at the maps and illustrations. Tell students to look at the glossary at the back of the book and review its uses. Point out that the words are listed in alphabetical order and include page numbers after the definitions of the words, to tell readers where to find more information on each topic. Ask what page tells about Andronicus.

Introduce the Strategy: Visualize

Explain and model visualizing.
Think-aloud: Whenever I read a book, I always pause after several pages to create a picture in my mind of what the author is describing. This strategy helps me keep track of the information and events in the book, and it also helps me make sure I understand what is happening. I know that good readers always do this when they read, so I am going to visualize as I read this book.
As students read, they should use other reading strategies in addition to the targeted strategy presented in this section. For tips on additional reading strategies, click here.

Introduce Vocabulary

Remind students of the strategies they can use to work out words they don't know. For example, they can use what they know about letter and sound correspondence to figure out the word. They can look for base words, prefixes, and suffixes. They can use the context to work out meanings of unfamiliar words.
Model how to apply word-attack strategies. Have students find the bold word ancient on page 6. Tell students that they can look at the letter the word begins with and their use what they know about syllables and vowels (one vowel sound per syllable) to sound out the rest of the word. Tell students to first look for a clue to the word's meaning in the sentence with the unfamiliar word. Explain that in this book they will not always find a context clue in the same sentence, but that other information in the paragraph explains it.
Model how students can use the glossary or a dictionary to find the word's meaning. Have a volunteer read the definition for ancient in the glossary. Have students follow along on page 6 as you read the sentence in which the word ancient is found to confirm the meaning of the word.
Preview other vocabulary, such as European, tragedy, and perspective, in a similar fashion before students begin reading.
For additional tips on teaching word-attack strategies, click here.

Set the Purpose

Have students read the book to find out what adventure the characters experience at the Acropolis. Remind them to stop and visualize as they read to help them remember and understand what they're reading.

During Reading

Student Reading

Guide the reading: Have students read to the end of page 12. Ask if they stopped to visualize, or create a picture in their mind, of any of the images the author described in the book.
Think-aloud: When I read about the Tower of the Winds, I paused to picture in my mind how that would look. I envisioned a marble octagon as tall as a two-story building. I saw, in my mind, eight flat sides with a carved figure at the top of each, and metal rods stretching out from them. I envisioned that this was a humungous sundial capturing the sun's rays each day.
Have students share the pictures they visualized in their minds while reading.

Tell students to make a small question mark in their books beside any word they do not understand or cannot pronounce. These can be addressed in the discussion that follows.

After Reading

Reflect on the Reading Strategies

Ask students what words they marked in their books. Use this opportunity to model how they can read these words using decoding strategies and context clues.
Have students share any other questions they had while they were reading. Ask how using the strategy of visualization helped them understand and remember what they read.
Think-aloud: When I read about the Parthenon, I paused to picture in my mind a massive stone temple with columns of marble. I envisioned the detailed scenes, including people, animals, and gods, carved into the stone. This picture helped me to understand what I had read and helped me to remember that part of the story.
Have students complete the visualize worksheet to show how they used the strategy of visualizing to help them understand and remember what they read.

Teach the Comprehension Skill: Analyze characters

Discussion: Direct students to page 4. Ask them to identify the characters in the story (Dimitri and Brady) and to share what they can tell about them from the illustration on page 5 (how they look). Ask students how they get to know the characters (through the author's words). Ask how they think the story might sound if Dimitri were telling the story.
Introduce and model the skill: Explain that there are many ways to learn about a character in a story. One way is to look at a character's words. Another way is to look for things the character does. Tell students that a character's words, thoughts, and actions are how the author lets the reader get to know the character and form an opinion about him or her.
Ask students to turn to page 6. Read the text aloud while they follow along silently. Discuss with students the key points to the conversation, such as when Brady tells Dimitri, "All this ancient history and learning about other countries is kind of boring to me." When Dimitri explains that Athens is the birthplace of many important ideas, Brady continues, "Yeah, yeah, I've heard all that." Ask students what Brady's words tell about him. (He is unadventurous, opinionated, not interested in learning new things, etc.)
Read page 5 aloud as students follow along. Ask students what the author's words tell about Brady. (He was on vacation with his parents, he was on his own for the day, etc.) Ask what the illustrator's picture tells about Brady (He is about 11 or 12 years old; he looks athletic, etc.)
Check for understanding: Read page 4. Ask students what the author's words tell about Dimitri. (He is tall, slender, bald, and tan; his eyes are bright and welcoming, etc.) Ask what the illustrator's drawing tells about Dimitri on page 5. (He is old and bald; he has wrinkles around his eyes, etc.)
Independent practice: Have students complete the analyze characters worksheet. When they are done, discuss their responses.

Extend the discussion: Discuss the famous landmarks of Greece. Ask students if they would like to visit the country and see sights such as the Parthenon, the Acropolis, the Tower of the Winds, and the Theater of Dionysus. Ask which they would like to see most and why.

Build Skills

Grammar and Mechanics: Similes and metaphors

Write the word simile on the board. Review or explain that a simile is a figure of speech comparing one thing to another by using the words like or as. Ask students to turn to page 4 to find an example of a simile. Ask a volunteer to read the sentence that contains the simile using like to compare two things. (Even sitting down, Brady could tell the man was tall and slender, and his clothes hung loosely on him--almost like a scarecrow, Brady thought.) Ask what the man is being likened to (a scarecrow). Write the example like a scarecrow on the board under the word simile.
Write the word metaphor on the board. Review or explain that a metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as if it were another thing. Ask students to turn to page 12 to find an example of a metaphor. Ask a volunteer to read the sentence that contains a metaphor. (So, imagine this tower as one giant sundial, but a sundial that also works all year long as a calendar.) Ask what the tower is being likened to (a sundial and a calendar). Write the examples the tower as a sundial and the tower as a calendar on the board under the word metaphor.
Check for understanding: Have students read page 8 to find two examples of similes used in the text (like a huge cruise ship and like a private park or cemetery). Add these two examples to the list on the board under the word simile. Ask what each is being likened to. (Buildings on the hilltop lit up at night: like a huge cruise ship. A dusty plot of land dotted with marble columns and bits of old, stone-paved roads: like a private park or cemetery.)
Independent practice: Give students the simile and metaphor worksheet. Review their responses aloud when everyone has finished working independently.

Word Work: Possessives

Review or explain that a possessive is formed by adding an 's to the end of a word to show ownership, or possession.
Direct students to page 4. Ask them to find the possessive word in the last paragraph (man's). Explain the rule of possession indicated by an 's for the phrase man's head (the head belonging to the man). Have students turn to page 8 and find the possessive word in the first paragraph (Greece's). Explain the rule of possession indicated by an 's for the phrase Greece's famous landmark (the famous landmark belonging to Greece).
Write a volunteer's name on the board and ask that volunteer to name something that he or she owns. Then add an 's to the end of the name before writing the item. For example, write Alex. Then add 's book.) Repeat the example for other volunteers who would like to contribute. Choose a name that ends in s to explain that the 's would follow the s. For example, Marcus would be changed to Marcus's.
Review or explain that a contraction using 's is not the same as a possessive. For example, it's is a contraction for it is and does not show ownership. Have students turn to page 7 and find an example of a contraction using 's that is not a possessive (that's, it's).

Check for understanding: Have students underline the possessives in the book, along with the items that each character owns (man's head, Greece's most famous landmark, Dimitri's pace, Brady's attention, Dimitri's voice, Brady's jaw).

Build Fluency

Independent Reading

Allow students to read their books independently or with a partner. Encourage repeated timed readings of a specific section of the book. Additionally, partners can take turns reading parts of the book.

Home Connection

Give students their books to take home to read with parents, caregivers, siblings, or friends.

Extend the Reading

Writing Connection

Have students write the next chapter in Acropolis Adventure, describing what happens when Brady sees his parents. Students may choose to answer questions such as: What does he tell them about his adventures with Dimitri? How does he explain all that he learned from his dad's old friend? What was his favorite place to visit? Where would he like to explore next? What does he think of ancient history and foreign countries now?

Social Studies Connection

Provide print and Internet resources for students to research the famous landmarks of Greece in more detail. As a group, collect photos, diagrams, and illustrations to create a collage poster. Supply index cards for students to include information about each landmark. Display the collage for all to see.

Assessment

Monitor students to determine if they can:

use the reading strategy of visualizing to better comprehend and remember events in nonfiction text
analyze the words and actions of the book's characters
identify and understand similes and metaphors
recognize and use possessives

Comprehension Checks

Go to "Acropolis Adventure" main page


Acropolis Adventure Level Z About the Book Text Type: Fiction/ Realistic/Narrative Page Count: 24 Word Count: 2,617 Book Summary Acropolis Adventure is told from a young man's perspective as he and his parents vacation in Greece. He meets Dimitri, an old friend of his father's, who shows him some of the famous local landmarks. Most importantly, Dimitri teaches Brady how to appreciate the details and beauty that surround him. Brady leaves Greece a different person. Illustrations and maps support the text. About the Lesson Targeted Reading Strategy Visualize Objectives Use the reading strategy of visualizing Analyze characters in the text Identify and understand similes and metaphors Recognize and use possessives Materials Book -- Acropolis Adventure (copy for each student) Chalkboard or dry erase board Visualize, analyze characters, similes and metaphors worksheets Indicates an opportunity for student to mark in the book. (All activities may be completed with paper and pencil if books are reusable.) Vocabulary Content words: Andronicus, ancient, Athens, columns, comedy, European, geometric, Greek, landmark, perspective, proportions, octagon, tragedy Before Reading Build Background Ask students to tell what they know about Greece and the Acropolis. Ask a student to locate Greece on a classroom map. Ask if anyone knows any other famous landmarks in Greece and, if so, to tell about them. Ask students to close their eyes and visualize, or picture in their mind, a two-story high, marble octagon with eight carved figures on top. Ask them to share what they see. Preview the Book Introduce the Book Give students a copy of the book and have them preview the front and back covers and read the title. Have students discuss what they see on the covers and offer ideas as to what kind of book this is and what it might be about. Invite students to preview the rest of the book by looking at the maps and illustrations. Tell students to look at the glossary at the back of the book and review its uses. Point out that the words are listed in alphabetical order and include page numbers after the definitions of the words, to tell readers where to find more information on each topic. Ask what page tells about Andronicus. Introduce the Strategy: Visualize Explain and model visualizing. Think-aloud: Whenever I read a book, I always pause after several pages to create a picture in my mind of what the author is describing. This strategy helps me keep track of the information and events in the book, and it also helps me make sure I understand what is happening. I know that good readers always do this when they read, so I am going to visualize as I read this book. As students read, they should use other reading strategies in addition to the targeted strategy presented in this section. For tips on additional reading strategies, click here. Introduce Vocabulary Remind students of the strategies they can use to work out words they don't know. For example, they can use what they know about letter and sound correspondence to figure out the word. They can look for base words, prefixes, and suffixes. They can use the context to work out meanings of unfamiliar words. Model how to apply word-attack strategies. Have students find the bold word ancient on page 6. Tell students that they can look at the letter the word begins with and their use what they know about syllables and vowels (one vowel sound per syllable) to sound out the rest of the word. Tell students to first look for a clue to the word's meaning in the sentence with the unfamiliar word. Explain that in this book they will not always find a context clue in the same sentence, but that other information in the paragraph explains it. Model how students can use the glossary or a dictionary to find the word's meaning. Have a volunteer read the definition for ancient in the glossary. Have students follow along on page 6 as you read the sentence in which the word ancient is found to confirm the meaning of the word. Preview other vocabulary, such as European, tragedy, and perspective, in a similar fashion before students begin reading. For additional tips on teaching word-attack strategies, click here. Set the Purpose Have students read the book to find out what adventure the characters experience at the Acropolis. Remind them to stop and visualize as they read to help them remember and understand what they're reading. During Reading Student Reading Guide the reading: Have students read to the end of page 12. Ask if they stopped to visualize, or create a picture in their mind, of any of the images the author described in the book. Think-aloud: When I read about the Tower of the Winds, I paused to picture in my mind how that would look. I envisioned a marble octagon as tall as a two-story building. I saw, in my mind, eight flat sides with a carved figure at the top of each, and metal rods stretching out from them. I envisioned that this was a humungous sundial capturing the sun's rays each day. Have students share the pictures they visualized in their minds while reading. Tell students to make a small question mark in their books beside any word they do not understand or cannot pronounce. These can be addressed in the discussion that follows. After Reading Reflect on the Reading Strategies Ask students what words they marked in their books. Use this opportunity to model how they can read these words using decoding strategies and context clues. Have students share any other questions they had while they were reading. Ask how using the strategy of visualization helped them understand and remember what they read. Think-aloud: When I read about the Parthenon, I paused to picture in my mind a massive stone temple with columns of marble. I envisioned the detailed scenes, including people, animals, and gods, carved into the stone. This picture helped me to understand what I had read and helped me to remember that part of the story. Have students complete the visualize worksheet to show how they used the strategy of visualizing to help them understand and remember what they read. Teach the Comprehension Skill: Analyze characters Discussion: Direct students to page 4. Ask them to identify the characters in the story (Dimitri and Brady) and to share what they can tell about them from the illustration on page 5 (how they look). Ask students how they get to know the characters (through the author's words). Ask how they think the story might sound if Dimitri were telling the story. Introduce and model the skill: Explain that there are many ways to learn about a character in a story. One way is to look at a character's words. Another way is to look for things the character does. Tell students that a character's words, thoughts, and actions are how the author lets the reader get to know the character and form an opinion about him or her. Ask students to turn to page 6. Read the text aloud while they follow along silently. Discuss with students the key points to the conversation, such as when Brady tells Dimitri, "All this ancient history and learning about other countries is kind of boring to me." When Dimitri explains that Athens is the birthplace of many important ideas, Brady continues, "Yeah, yeah, I've heard all that." Ask students what Brady's words tell about him. (He is unadventurous, opinionated, not interested in learning new things, etc.) Read page 5 aloud as students follow along. Ask students what the author's words tell about Brady. (He was on vacation with his parents, he was on his own for the day, etc.) Ask what the illustrator's picture tells about Brady (He is about 11 or 12 years old; he looks athletic, etc.) Check for understanding: Read page 4. Ask students what the author's words tell about Dimitri. (He is tall, slender, bald, and tan; his eyes are bright and welcoming, etc.) Ask what the illustrator's drawing tells about Dimitri on page 5. (He is old and bald; he has wrinkles around his eyes, etc.) Independent practice: Have students complete the analyze characters worksheet. When they are done, discuss their responses. Extend the discussion: Discuss the famous landmarks of Greece. Ask students if they would like to visit the country and see sights such as the Parthenon, the Acropolis, the Tower of the Winds, and the Theater of Dionysus. Ask which they would like to see most and why. Build Skills Grammar and Mechanics: Similes and metaphors Write the word simile on the board. Review or explain that a simile is a figure of speech comparing one thing to another by using the words like or as. Ask students to turn to page 4 to find an example of a simile. Ask a volunteer to read the sentence that contains the simile using like to compare two things. (Even sitting down, Brady could tell the man was tall and slender, and his clothes hung loosely on him--almost like a scarecrow, Brady thought.) Ask what the man is being likened to (a scarecrow). Write the example like a scarecrow on the board under the word simile. Write the word metaphor on the board. Review or explain that a metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as if it were another thing. Ask students to turn to page 12 to find an example of a metaphor. Ask a volunteer to read the sentence that contains a metaphor. (So, imagine this tower as one giant sundial, but a sundial that also works all year long as a calendar.) Ask what the tower is being likened to (a sundial and a calendar). Write the examples the tower as a sundial and the tower as a calendar on the board under the word metaphor. Check for understanding: Have students read page 8 to find two examples of similes used in the text (like a huge cruise ship and like a private park or cemetery). Add these two examples to the list on the board under the word simile. Ask what each is being likened to. (Buildings on the hilltop lit up at night: like a huge cruise ship. A dusty plot of land dotted with marble columns and bits of old, stone-paved roads: like a private park or cemetery.) Independent practice: Give students the simile and metaphor worksheet. Review their responses aloud when everyone has finished working independently. Word Work: Possessives Review or explain that a possessive is formed by adding an 's to the end of a word to show ownership, or possession. Direct students to page 4. Ask them to find the possessive word in the last paragraph (man's). Explain the rule of possession indicated by an 's for the phrase man's head (the head belonging to the man). Have students turn to page 8 and find the possessive word in the first paragraph (Greece's). Explain the rule of possession indicated by an 's for the phrase Greece's famous landmark (the famous landmark belonging to Greece). Write a volunteer's name on the board and ask that volunteer to name something that he or she owns. Then add an 's to the end of the name before writing the item. For example, write Alex. Then add 's book.) Repeat the example for other volunteers who would like to contribute. Choose a name that ends in s to explain that the 's would follow the s. For example, Marcus would be changed to Marcus's. Review or explain that a contraction using 's is not the same as a possessive. For example, it's is a contraction for it is and does not show ownership. Have students turn to page 7 and find an example of a contraction using 's that is not a possessive (that's, it's). Check for understanding: Have students underline the possessives in the book, along with the items that each character owns (man's head, Greece's most famous landmark, Dimitri's pace, Brady's attention, Dimitri's voice, Brady's jaw). Build Fluency Independent Reading Allow students to read their books independently or with a partner. Encourage repeated timed readings of a specific section of the book. Additionally, partners can take turns reading parts of the book. Home Connection Give students their books to take home to read with parents, caregivers, siblings, or friends. Extend the Reading Writing Connection Have students write the next chapter in Acropolis Adventure, describing what happens when Brady sees his parents. Students may choose to answer questions such as: What does he tell them about his adventures with Dimitri? How does he explain all that he learned from his dad's old friend? What was his favorite place to visit? Where would he like to explore next? What does he think of ancient history and foreign countries now? Social Studies Connection Provide print and Internet resources for students to research the famous landmarks of Greece in more detail. As a group, collect photos, diagrams, and illustrations to create a collage poster. Supply index cards for students to include information about each landmark. Display the collage for all to see. Assessment Monitor students to determine if they can: use the reading strategy of visualizing to better comprehend and remember events in nonfiction text analyze the words and actions of the book's characters identify and understand similes and metaphors recognize and use possessives Comprehension Checks Book Quiz Retelling Rubric Go to "Acropolis Adventure" main page
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