Lore

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

List 6-8 Greek gods or goddesses and the skill or contribution for which they are known. Alternately, list 6-8 individual stories from Greek mythology you recall having studied or read. Why is Greek mythology still being studied? Why might schoolchildren as young as 5th or 6th grade learn these myths?

Teaching Suggestion: Discussing this topic and its lasting influence in the history of literature and storytelling can generate excitement for the novel. Before addressing the prompt, the class might brainstorm examples of books, films, or television shows that connect in some way to Greek myths. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topic. The PBS video moves quickly and references numerous texts influenced by Greek mythology, including the Percy Jackson series and Romeo and Juliet.

• “How Greek Mythology Inspires Us” is a 10-minute PBS video discussing the ways in which Greek mythology impacts modern society, especially focusing on the influence on books.
• With “Greek Mythology and Ancient Daily Life in Film and TV,” Getty presents some of the many examples of Greek mythology in television and movies. (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing due to appropriateness and mature content)

Short Activity

Work in a small group with 3-4 peers. After conferring, decide on a format for a graphic organizer that will allow group members to list 5-6 gods or goddesses from Greek Mythology. Choose gods and goddesses with whom you are not very familiar. Compile research notes on each god or goddess in your graphic organizer. After sharing a brief summary of each god or goddess to the class, scan your graphic organizer into an electronic file for class sharing.

Teaching Suggestion: Students might first brainstorm guiding research questions to investigate. Alternatively, students could be assigned specific gods and goddesses to research and present.

• This resource from the History Channel offers background on how Greek mythology came to be, major gods and goddesses, and more.
• With “Who Were the Ancient Greek Gods and Heroes?,” the BBC provides written explanations and videos to explore Greek mythology.
• GreekMythology.com includes opportunities to learn about different Greek gods, the Titans, and additional topics.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or those with attentional or executive functioning learning differences, conducting the research as a class could be beneficial. Alternatively, pairs or small groups might focus on the main gods and goddesses referenced in the novel, including Athena, Artemis, Perseus, Apollo, and Hermes. This resource from National Geographic Kids might be a more accessible alternative text for some learners.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

How do you define strength? Compose a journal entry that incorporates your personal definition and examples you have witnessed. What is the connotation of the word strength? Can this word’s connotation change based on circumstances? In what ways?

Teaching Suggestion: One of the central themes of Lore is Strength Is More Than Physical; exploring this idea before reading can give students a lens through which to analyze characters and their decisions. This question could be approached using a list-sort-label activity, in which students receive cards with words that relate to different types of strength or choices that demonstrate strength, then arrange the words into different categories and determine the best label for each category.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who would benefit from an additional challenge could instead compose a more formal piece of writing or a poem about strength.