My students need 31 copies of "The Lightning Thief" and one Audio CD of the book.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Fox's classroom raised $354
This project is fully funded
I teach social studies to 7th grade kids who love a good story. There are few tales that have maintained their luster over the millennia as well as the ones starring gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Hercules, Medusa, Hera and Hades are just a few of the many characters that have become household names over the past few thousand years.
Last year, hidden in the back corner of a dusty, decrepit supply closet, I stumbled upon a class set of "The Adventures of Ulysses". This was a "modern" translation of the Odyssey that I hoped my students would love reading as much as I did in different forms throughout school. For some, I was right. However, for many others the vocabulary was often too difficult and the story just did not jump out of the page in a way that was relevant to many of my students. I began my quest to find the modern equivalent of this classic.
I first tried Rosemary Sutcliffe's more recent translations of Homer's works, but I found it dry. I turned to graphic novels about the Greek Myths, but realized that with only 48 pages of pictures, the journey would be over a little too soon. Then a friend recommended Rick Riordan's "The Lightning Thief". This is a story set this decade in New York City. It incorporates all of these fascinating gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece, but with modern issues that my students can relate to. After reading it, I knew that this was the perfect choice to get my kids excited about mythology in a way they could understand.
As a social studies teacher, I truly love teaching about historical topics through novels. We cover Stalin and the Russian Revolution through "Animal Farm". We delve into the lives of people who lived through the Holocaust using "Night" and "Maus". I would love to give my students the opportunity to use literature as a tool to enjoy learning about some of the most memorable remnants of Ancient Greece: mythology. "The Lightning Thief" provides this opportunity for my students. It will keep them engaged, help them connect to the past and improve their reading abilities in the process. Please help the Greek Gods stay immortal by supporting this project for my students.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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