Summary
Students will read and view different portrayals of the lotus eaters, inspired by Greek mythology and classical literature. Students will compare and contrast the selections, then put themselves in the position of the sailors and determine whether they would succumb to temptation.
Essential Question(s)
How can a person's decisions and actions change their life and others' lives? How do the decisions and actions of characters reveal their personalities?
Snapshot
Engage
Students watch a movie clip from Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and begin to fill out Venn diagrams.
Explore
In groups, students participate in an ABC Graffiti activity about common temptations.
Explain
In pairs, students read two portrayals of the lotus eaters and fill out additional sections of their Venn diagrams.
Extend
Students create Flipgrid videos in which they reflect on the sailors’ actions and explain how they would react differently to temptation.
Evaluate
Students respond to their peers’ Flipgrid presentations and submit their completed Venn diagrams.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Venn Diagram handout (attached; one per student)
ABC Graffiti handout (attached; one per group) or poster paper hung around the room
Excerpt from The Odyssey (attached; one per pair of students)
"The Lotos-Eaters" Poem Excerpt (linked; one per pair of students)
Flipgrid Presentation Rubric (attached; one per student)
Pens or pencils
Markers
Student devices with camera and internet access
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Introduce the lesson using the attached Lesson Slides. Let students know they will examine three different media portrayals of the same topic: exploring temptation through the lotus eaters.
Display slide 3 to show students the essential questions that will guide their learning. Next, display slide 4 and let students read over the lesson objectives.
Display slide 5 and pass out the attached Venn Diagram handout to each student. Inform students they will work independently to complete the top outside circle with details from the following movie clip.
Display slide 6. Play the Lotus Casino scene from Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
Once the clip is over, give students time to complete the top outside circle of their Venn diagrams. Ask students to keep their Venn diagrams on hand, as they will return to them soon.
Explore
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 7. Let students know they will participate in a group activity using the ABC Graffiti strategy.
Place students in small groups and ask them the following question: "What are different temptations that people face?"
Provide each group with a different color of fine-tipped marker and a copy of the attached ABC Graffiti handout.
Display slide 8. Ask student groups to jot down words and phrases for as many letters as they can in the time provided. To complete the activity, students must use their prior knowledge of different motivations people could have for their actions. Give students an allotted amount of time, ideally 2–3 minutes.
When time is up, display slide 9. Have student groups rotate to the next poster. They should take their marker with them so their contributions can be traced back to their corresponding marker color. Have each group pick up where the last group left off, again adding words and phrases for each blank letter. If time allows, students also can add words and phrases to letters that were previously used.
When time is up, display slide 10 and have student groups rotate once more. After the third round, ask students to return to their seats.
Engage students in a whole-class discussion about what they wrote or saw on the posters and what they identified about common temptations. What words and phrases did the posters have in common?
Explain
50 Minute(s)
Display slide 11. Inform students they will read one of two texts about the lotus eaters.
Assign one group of students to read an excerpt from the poem "The Lotos-Eaters" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Have these students get out their devices with internet access and provide them with the link to the reading.
Assign the second group of students to read the attached Excerpt from The Odyssey and pass out the appropriate number of copies. The handout includes space for annotations.
As each student reads independently, ask them to complete an outer section of their Venn diagram based on their assigned text. Encourage students to take notes on what the lotus eaters were doing (or not doing), what they were forgoing, how the people around them were reacting, and any other pertinent information they pull out of the text.
Once students have finished reading and have completed the appropriate outer section of their Venn diagrams, display slide 12 and pair up students. Each student pair should consist of one student who read the poem excerpt and one who read the excerpt from The Odyssey.
In pairs, students should take turns sharing details about their assigned readings. Ask students to help each other complete the remaining outer section of their Venn diagrams. Next, have student pairs compare and contrast the three different portrayals of lotus eaters they have examined so far. Together, students should complete the inner parts of their Venn diagrams.
If students need more support in completing their Venn diagrams, slides 13–15 are included for additional scaffolding.
Extend
30 Minute(s)
Display slide 16. Pass out the attached Flipgrid Presentation Rubric for students to review. Ask students to think about the following questions and jot down some ideas:
Would you have given in to the temptation of the lotus flower?
How would you overcome the temptation of the lotus today?
What is your exit strategy?
Have students record a Flip video to capture their thoughts. Display slide 17 to provide students with more detailed instructions.
Evaluate
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 18. Have students take some time to view and respond to their classmates’ Flipgrid presentations. Using the same rubric from the previous section as a reference, students should provide positive feedback and offer questions about their peers’ exit strategies.
Be sure to collect students’ completed Venn diagrams if they haven’t already submitted them.
Resources
Lord Tennyson, A. (1832). Excerpt from "The Lotos-Eaters." CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/excerpt-from-the-lotos-eaters
Muller, P. (Adapter) & Columbus, C. (Director). (2015, June 21). Percy Jackson (Lotus Casino Scene) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9-Fbl2QVJc&feature=youtu.be
K20 Center. (n.d.). ABC Graffiti. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/96
K20 Center. (n.d.). Flip. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1075
K20 Center. (n.d.). Lotus Eaters [Image].
