Question: What is a myth?

A myth is a traditional story about the early history of a people and usually involves a hero and mythical beasts. They are usually passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation.

Question: What might be some of the features of a myth? • Title

• Third person

• Parenthesis

• Expanded noun phrases

• Similes/ Metaphors

• Relative clauses

• Hero and mythical beast

• Fronted adverbials

Myth planner:Paragraph 1: Setting the scene and introducing our hero, Theseus!

• Title - underlined.• Introduce Athens. • What does Athens look like? Why are the people

upset? • Introduce Theseus, the hero (this description should

make him stand out from everyone else!) • What does he look like? • What does he believe in?• What is going to do for the children of Athens?

Paragraph 2: The feast.

• They travel to Crete to King Minos’ palace.• Look at the pictures of a feast - describe

it.• Why do you think King Minos laid on such a

great feast?• How did the children feel at this feast?• Describe how Theseus spots Ariadne across

the room - why does he notice her? • End this paragraph on a cliffhanger - the

feast has ended and Theseus has gone to bed. What does he hear under the door?

Paragraph 3: Theseus and Ariadne meet.

• Theseus and Ariadne meet downstairs, and she says she can help him.

• Explain why Theseus thinks Ariadne is desperate to escape Crete.

• How is Ariadne acting? Describe her. • Ariadne offers the ball and string to

Theseus - what does she say to him?• Does Theseus believe this will help?

Paragraph 4: The maze.

• It is the next morning and the day of the maze - how does Theseus feel?

• As Theseus goes into the maze, does he say anything out loud to encourage the minotaur to come forward?

• Describe his first encounter with the minotaur - what does it smell and look like?

• Describe Theseus killing the minotaur.• How does Theseus feel as he leaves the maze,

does he think it might come alive and follow him?

• Describe them leaving Crete with Ariadne.

You may want to use this to plan your myth into - for a challenge think about the Year 5 Spellings you want to include too - the spelling list is on the next slide.

Relative clauses - Gives additional information to a noun and begins with a relative pronoun.

Theseus, who had golden locks, was a strong hero.

Steps to success:

- Write your main clause.

Theseus was a strong hero.

- Use a comma after the noun you want to add more information too.

Theseus,

- Choose a relative pronoun.

Theseus, who

- Write your relative clause giving extra information.

Theseus, who had golden locks, was a strong hero.

Metaphors - When you say an item is something it is not to describe.

The ocean is as blue as a whale.

Similes - When you compare an item with something else to describe.

Steps to success: • Find the object you want to describe. The ocean

• Think of what it looks like. It looks blue.

• Now, think of something else that looks like that.A whale is blue.

• Now begin your sentence and put in ‘as’ or ‘like’.The ocean is as

• After ‘as’ or ’like’ put in your comparison.The ocean is as blue as a whale.

The ocean is a blue whale.Steps to success:• Find the object you want to describe. The ocean

• Think of what it looks like.It looks blue.

• Now, think of something else that looks like that.A whale is blue.

• Now begin your sentence and put in ‘is’.The ocean is

Complete the sentence with what you think it looks like.The ocean is a blue whale.

Adjectives to support with your similes and metaphors.

Direct speech: This is speech reported in the exact words of the speaker.

“Please do not leave me here Theseus,” begged Ariadne.

Other words for ‘said’ Steps to Success:

• Decide first on which character you are focusing on and what they said. Ariadne is speaking and she says please not do leave me here Theseus.

• Open your speech with one pair of inverted commas.“

• Write exactly what was said by the character.“Please do not leave me here Theseus

• Now put a comma after the speech“Please do not leave me here Theseus,

• Then, close your speech with another pair of inverted commas.“Please do not leave me here Theseus,”

• Choose a word from the bank to describe how the speech was said. “Please do not leave me here Theseus,” begged

• Put who has said the speech.“Please do not leave me here Theseus,” begged Ariadne.

Fronted adverbials: A phrase or word at the start of a sentence which is used

to describe the action that follows. They can be used to describe: the time something happens, the frequency it happens or how it happens.

Steps to success:

• Write a main clause.

Theseus crept into the maze.

• Now choose one of the five ways fronted adverbials are often used.

Manner - how he crept into the maze.

• You can now select a fronted adverbial that fits from the grid, or use one of your own.

Slowly,

• Put this fronted adverbial at the start of your sentence and use a comma afterwards.

Slowly,

• Write your main clause afterwards.

Slowly, Theseus crept into the maze.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQuAUBX5xBw - This is the link to the Theseus and the Minotaur video if you would like to watch it again.

Paragraph 1: Story cards 1.

2.

3.

4.

Theseus

Athens

Paragraph 2: Story cards

1. 2.

Paper for the letter under the door - do you think it was old and brown or really nice white paper with an ornate design around it? Remember, it was written by Princess Ariadne.

The feast for the children when they reach King Minos palace.

Paragraph 3: Story cards

1. 2.

Paragraph 4: Story cards

Minotaur