PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS THE LIGHTNING THIEF DIGITAL UNIT PLAN
This digital unit plan for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan has absolutely everything you need to teach the novel. With over 440 digital slides of eye-catching Google Slides presentations, digital assignments, questions, vocabulary, figurative language, video journals, and interactive, paperless class activities, you will have everything you need!
This is a digital resource and students complete all the work on the computer. This works well with distance learning, 1:1 classrooms, remote teaching, Google Classroom, or online education.
INCLUDED IN YOUR DIGITAL UNIT PLAN:
INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION
- This Google Slides introductory presentation (23 slides) will hook students into reading the novel immediately while also sparking discussion and providing students useful information and practical context to prepare them to read. It includes pre-reading discussion, a short interactive class activity, information on genre, an author biography, a listening quick check, background information on the novel, and an introduction to the important Greek gods referenced in the novel.
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CHAPTER SUMMARY CARDS
- 22 Digital summary cards (one for each chapter of the novel) that outline the most important elements of the plot. Use these digital cards as a reference to locate events quickly, as a tool for students find quotes for essays more easily, as a support to help your struggling readers, and as a way for students students to check their own understanding of the novel.
- A blank option is provided where students can type in their own summaries for each chapter!
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READING QUIZZES
- 7 Digital reading quizzes in Google Forms format that work well for a quick reading comprehension check after each chapter set. Each quiz includes six self-grading multiple-choice questions and two important quotes which show plot or character development. Students explain what was occurring at this particular part of the plot and what characters were involved.
- Teacher answer keys for a quick reference for grading.
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GREEK MYTHOLOGY CHAPTER NOTES
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Throughout The Lightning Thief, there are direct and indirect references to figures, places, and stories from Greek mythology! This Google Slides presentation will share some context with students about some of the references made in each of the chapter sets and explain their meaning. The 57 slides are organized by chapter sets, and each slide includes the direct quote from the novel where the reference was made, a detailed explanation of what the reference means in Greek mythology, and an image of art that relates to the reference.
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VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
- Google Slides to teach students the strategies they need to know to determine the meaning of an unknown words using context clues (using synonyms, antonyms, examples, general meaning).
- A Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief digital vocabulary booklet for students with quotes from the novel that use challenging vocabulary. Students use context to determine the meaning of the bolded word. There is also a place for the actual definition to be inserted where students can look up the meaning of the words, or you can review them as a class.
- A 33 slide Google Slides presentation to review each of the vocabulary words with synonyms/definitions for students to easily understand the new terms.
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READING QUESTIONS
- Student question digital response slides divided by chapter sets that are ready to share with a set of questions that include basic reading comprehension, analysis, and text connection questions.
- A Google Slides presentation that includes all the answers to the questions for easy review with the whole class. The answer keys are detailed with text evidence and quotes for support to show students a strong response.
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ANALYSIS NOTES
- 42 slide analysis notes Google Slides presentation.The slides were specifically created to discuss some of the most important aspects of the novel to spark discussion or help students explore elements beyond the literal text. The notes are organized by chapter sets and address important story elements, literary devices, and important ideas in the novel. Below are a list of some of the elements explored in the slides:
- Characterization
- Mood
- Foreshadowing
- Themes
- Setting
- Tone
- Symbolism
- Conflict
- Figures of Speech
- Point of View
- Irony
- Cliffhanger
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VIDEO JOURNALS
- Google Slides document that includes links to video clips that connect to a theme or an important topic of the novel. Keep in mind that the videos are not selected to be specifically about the novel, but instead they are connected to something that occurs in the chapter sets in either content or theme. This allows students to make connections and consider how the content or themes from the novel connect to the world today. After watching the short video clip, students will be given a writing prompt that bridges the gap between the video and their lives or the world around them. They will respond to that prompt in writing on the response slide.
- A teacher Google Slides presentation to share the prompt within the classroom setting displaying the prompt for students.
• Please Note: Teachers should always preview the videos before showing students.
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FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
- 7 Ready-to-use assignment digital slides organized by chapter sets with direct quotes from the novel where students must determine what type of figurative language is being used. Each example contains either an example of metaphor, onomatopoeia, alliteration, personification, or simile.
- Teacher answer keys that you can use for quick grading or to review the answers with your students.
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IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES & ASSIGNMENTS
19 Ready-to-use, digital activities or assignments to bring your novel unit to life. Students will absolutely love these activities!
Chapters 1 - 4
The Myth of Kronos Readers Theater: In these chapters, Percy briefly retells the Myth of Kronos during his class field trip. This activity allows students to learn even more about this myth in a fun and creative way. Students will work in groups to perform a reader's theater performance of this myth with a ready-to-use digital script written in a modern language. The script is written in a fun and humorous way, so students will be immediately engaged while also learning about the details of this Greek myth.
Track Percy's Journey Across America: In Percy's journey to locate Zeus' thunderbolt, he makes his way to many different locations in the US. Introduce this assignment that students will use throughout the novel to track Percy's journey from across the country. He will make visits to cities in New York, Missouri, Colorado, Nevada, and California!
Ancient Greece Art Museum Virtual Field Trip: Help build up your students' background knowledge on Ancient Greek figures referenced in the novel with an interactive digital museum field trip (just like Percy takes in these chapters). Click on the various art exhibits to learn more about them and then return back to the museum. A digital graphic organizer is provided for students to write what they learn about each.
Percy's Victories Assignment: Students will use what they learned about art inspired by ancient Greece during their virtual field trip to create their own work of art using the medium of their choice (paint, color-pencils, clay, digital art) that depicts the tale of Percy’s victories over Mrs. Dodds or the Minotaur in these chapters. Digital planning pages and templates are provided.
Chapters 5 - 7
Design Camp Half-Blood: In these chapters, Percy receives a tour of Camp Half-Blood. Students will use the quotes that describe the different areas of the camp and plan out a digital recreation of it in the form of a 2-D architectural design. They can include images, text. and color to represent the different areas of the camp like the farmhouse, activity centers, woods, and the cabins.
Camp Half-Blood Greek Gods Cabins Matching Game: These chapters provide a description of each of the cabins at Camp Half-Blood for each of the twelve Olympians, but the author does not name the god that each cabin is connected to. This fun activity includes a two-page article that introduces each of the Olympians, and students must use text evidence from the article and the novel to digitally match up which god is associated with which cabin!
Chapters 8 - 10
Capture the Flag Game: In these chapters, Percy and his fellow campmates play a game of Capture the flag. Bring this into your own classroom by splitting up the class into groups and having each group use text evidence to learn the rules of the game, plan and design their own flag, and actually play the game in your school gym or a large area where students can move around! Detailed instructions for how to set up, play, and win the game are provided in an interactive digital slideshow.
The Greek Alphabet Activity: Annabeth teaches Percy Greek in these chapters. Have your students empathize with Percy by introducing them to the Greek alphabet and having them practice digitally writing the letters and forming their own names.
Chapters 11 - 14
Mortal Vs. Gods Newscast: These chapters include media from the mortal world that reveal the false perspective that humans have on Percy’s quest. Students will work with a partner to take on the role of newscaster and do two newscasts on events from the quest. The first newscast will be from the mortal world, and the second will be on the same topic, but it will be a newscast for the gods! Students must consider how similar events would be viewed differently by humans and the gods or half-bloods. This can be performed in front of the class or recorded on video. The resource includes a variety of digital graphic organizers with prompts for preparing the newscast.
Percy Jackson Wanted Poster: Students must imagine that they are a police officer in the moral world who is creating a wanted poster for Percy Jackson for the human crimes he has committed. The resource includes a digital planning slide with prompting questions to find text evidence and a digital wanted poster template to create their final design.
Chapters 15 - 16
Design your own Camp Half-Blood Necklace: In these chapters, we learn that the counselors at Camp Half-Blood choose the most important event of each summer and paint it on a bead. Have students design and create their own Camp Half-Blood necklace that features the most important events of their life. They insert symbols to represent each bead and explain the meaning behind each.
Writing a Letter to Annabeth's Dad: Annabeth reveals more about her difficult past with her dad in these chapters, and Percy suggests she write him a letter. Taking Percy’s suggestion, students will take on the perspective of Annabeth and write a virtual letter to her dad (using text evidence) before they continue their quest to the Underworld.
The Lotus Hotel Attractions: Percy and his friends become entrapped in The Lotus Hotel and Casino. Students will choose five new attractions that they think would entrap them and their peers for the longest amount of time. They will describe the attractions they would include, explain why they chose these specifically, and insert a symbol to represent each one.
Chapters 17 - 19
The Underworld Death Boarding Pass: When the trio goes into the elevator with Charon to the Underworld, they notice every soul is “holding a green boarding pass.” Students will create digital boarding passes for different characters (Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Sally) to show their understanding of their character traits. They will need to consider each character’s achievements on Earth and the best rewards and punishments that the character might receive in the afterlife.
Chapters 20 - 22
The Hero's Journey: Teach students about all the parts of the hero's journey with a presentation, reference slide, and circular graphic. Then, have them apply what they learned to The Lightning Thief to determine if it follows this pattern. A detailed answer key is provided.
Final Creative Projects: Have students choose between 4 final creative projects options to show their understanding and analysis of the novel.
Movie Novel Comparison & Review: Show students the film version of the novel and have them write the differences between the film and the novel version. A digital assignment is also included for writing a film review of the adaptation!
Final Essay Topics: Have students write a final essay with these four essay topics that will allow them to explore a topic throughout the novel.
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