Our tale begins by describing the impenetrable walls of Troy and how the Trojan kidnapping of Helen of Troy inspired the Greeks to retaliate with war. After ten long years, there is no clear winner and the Greeks still can't penetrate the Trojan wall. Then a clever Greek named Odysseus comes up with the idea of a Trojan horse, and they present it as a gift. Meanwhile, Greek soldiers are waiting inside this huge gift, waiting to come out when the time is right. Ultimately, Troy falls for the trick and the city is ruined by the war. The Greeks win the war and the tale is over. The book closes by mentioning the author of the epic, Homer, as well as the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann's discovery of the real-life Troy.
The book is an excellent candidate for independent reading. Although, it seems intended for a 5th grader, I think that having a book that is less challenging will allow the student to understand the information more independently. The pictures scattered throughout the text will keep a younger reader's interest, and the author keeps the action of the story moving at a pace that is appropriate for this age.
Potential Lesson Plan:
Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3
Objective: The student will draw parallels between modern stories and ancient myth.
Materials: Pencil and journal. (Optional material requirement: place students in the library so they may consult other stories if they cannot think of one on their own.)
Outline: After a student reads this story, they will pull out a journal and consider the following questions: Can you think of any other stories where someone tried to sneak in by using a disguise? How is that story similar to this one? How is it different? Why do you think people borrow ideas from ancient stories in order to tell a new one?
Students should write at least a page to answer all of these questions.
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