Page 84 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade7_Flipbook

a Matter of pride
aCTIvITy 1.12
Learning Targets
• Compare and contrast character traits that lead to self-destruction in a myth.
• Analyze the relationship between character and plot and between conflict and resolution.
Preview
In this activity, you will read a myth whose main character’s traits lead to self-destruction.
Setting a Purpose for Reading
• As you read the myth, underline details you learn about Arachne’s character.
• Circle unknown words and phrases. Use the diffusing strategy to try to determine substitution words based on context clues. Confirm your definition by checking a dictionary or thesaurus.
My Notes
Introducing the Strategy: Diffusing
With this strategy, you use context clues to help find the meaning of unknown words. When diffusing, circle words that are unfamiliar. Think of two possible substitutions (synonyms), and confirm your definition. You can confirm your definition by checking reference sources such as a dictionary or a thesaurus.
AbouT The AuThor
Olivia Coolidge grew up in England in the early 1900s. She became a teacher of Latin, Greek, and mythology, while also developing her skills as a writer. She wrote numerous histories and biographies for children and young adults. Her work is noted for high interest and vivid descriptions. Coolidge won the 1963 Newbery Award for contributions to children’s literature.
Myth
by Olivia E. Coolidge
1 Arachne was a maiden who became famous throughout Greece, though she was neither wellborn nor beautiful and came from no great city. She lived in an obscure little village, and her father was a humble dyer of wool. In this he was very skillful, producing many varied shades, while above all he was famous for the clear, bright scarlet which is made from shellfish, and which was the most glorious of all the colors used in ancient Greece. Even more skillful than her father was Arachne. It was her task to spin the fleecy wool into a fine, soft thread and to weave it into cloth on the high, standing loom within the cottage. Arachne was small and pale from much working. Her eyes were light and her hair was a dusty brown, yet she was quick and graceful, and her fingers, roughened as they were, went so fast that it
Unit 1 • The Choices We Make 57
LearNING sTraTeGIes:
Graphic Organizer, Visual Prompt, Discussion Groups, Drafting
obscure: little known, unimportant
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