llustration of Moses sitting with his family by the campfire
Art by Laura Catrinella
Background Builder,

What Is a Myth?

You are about to read a myth. Here are some facts to know first.

By Laine Falk
From the October/November 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will learn background knowledge about myths before they read “The Myth of Arachne.”

Lexile® measure: 480L
Featured Skill: Vocabulary, Main Idea,
Vocabulary: Greece, gods and goddesses, metamorphosis
Topic: English Language Arts,
Common Core Standards
  • ELA Focus
    Genres: Myths
  • Skill Focus
    Background knowledge
  • Common Core Standards
    RI.2.1 Key details RI.2.4 Vocabulary RI.2.5 Nonfiction text features RI.2.7 Use visuals RI.2.9 Compare two texts on a similar topic RI.2.10 Read grade-2-appropriate informational texts SL.2 Participate in conversations about grade-2 texts
TEKS Standards
  • Social Studies
    (16) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) describe the order of events by using designations of time periods such as historical and present times; (B) apply vocabulary related to chronology, including past, present, and future
  • ELA
    (9) Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts—genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts. The student is expected to: (A) demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of well-known children’s literature such as folktales, fables, and fairy tales

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1. Old Stories 

Thousands of years ago, people told stories. We call these stories myths. There are many myths from all over the world. The story you are about to read comes from Greece. 

2. Explaining nature

In ancient Greece, people thought the god Zeus made lightning strike.

Why does the sun shine? Why is there rain and lightning? Long ago, people didn’t have the answers. Myths explained how these things came to be.

3. Gods and Goddesses 

From left: Artemis, Poseidon, Hydra

Gods and goddesses play a big part in myths. They have amazing powers. Myths also star monsters, heroes, and regular people. 

4. A Big Change 

When you read a myth, see if any of the characters change shape or form. 

A big change like that is called a metamorphosis (meh-tuh-MOR-fuh-suhs). In one myth, a woman turns into a tree! Myths often have a lesson too. 

Slideshows (1)
Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
In-Person Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

  • Small group; whole group; independent reading

1. Use the Before-Reading Resources

  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow (5 minutes)
    Help students become familiar with the vocabulary words they will see in the article.

2. Read the Article 

Reading focus: Build background knowledge (30 minutes)

  • This article gives students background knowledge that will help them better understand the first text in this issue’s paired texts, “The Myth of Arachne.”
  • As they read, tell students to pay attention to the different elements that they can find in myths. They will be reading a story soon, and they will have to figure out what makes it a myth.

3. After-Reading Skills Practice

  • Myth Checklist: (15 minutes)
    Once students have also read “The Myth of Arachne,” they can use what they learned in this Background Builder to identify what makes this story a myth.

You can use this skills page to practice other skills. (15 minutes)

  • Quiz: Comprehension check

Text-to-Speech