Myths and legends

Myths 

A myth is a story made up to explain something that people believe (such as how the earth was made) or something in nature (such as thunder or lightning). Some of the most famous myths are Greek, Roman and Norse. They often deal with gods and goddesses worshipped by the ancient people from these lands. Myths have complicated language or elaborate plots and rich language. They have become such a part of our heritage that even today we speak of Herculean strength (from Hercules, a Greek hero), the beauty of Venus (from Venus, the Roman Goddess of beauty) and Cupid as a symbol of love (from Cupid, the Roman god of love). 

Legends

Legends are stories about the extraordinary deeds that real people or story characters (who might have been real people) are supposed to have performed. They are part of traditional literature which is the group of stories and poems that parents have told their children for centuries. There are legends about saints, like Saint Patrick, who was supposed to have chased all the snakes out of Ireland. There are legends about Robin Hood and his Merry Men and King Arthur and his Knights, who may or may not have been real people. You will also hear people speak of the legendary deeds of the bushranger Ned Kelly, or sporting heroes such as Donald Bradman.

• Encourage ākonga to read and reread, both at a home and at school and to share their favourites in an oral language story-telling situation. 
• Ākonga will throughout the unit record the myths/legends they have read on a Reading Log. Kaiako will model, following the reading of "Cry Baby Moon", how to complete and use a Retrieval Chart. Ākonga will record, plot, characters, settings, themes, on the retrieval chart at the end of the unit. Ākonga will use information from their reading log to complete the retrieval chart. 

Focus Questions: The structure of a myth or legend

•  What would have been the original form of these myths? 
•  Why would the authors have wished to record these myths in written form? 
•  What were the myths trying to explain? 
•  What did the authors need to know to be able to record these myths? 
•  Use the guiding questions below to help ākonga compare myths/legends. 

Guiding questions 

Discuss the origin of myths that:

• began with primitive humans 
• were used to explain the origin of things 
• often included gods to explain the creation of things 
• explained natural phenomena 

Discuss the following:

• Where this story could have taken place.
• What this story was trying to explain.
• How this story could have originated, and why you think that.
• How the language that is used explains or describes the illustrations.
• What the similarities and differences are between Māori and Greek myths and legends based on a particular theme, such as, "How the stars got in the sky". 

Build up and develop throughout the unit a comparison chart (Venn diagram) of myths and legends from around the world. 

Read the myth Cry Baby Moon by Katarina Mataira and Tere Wai Kemp to the class. Discuss and examine the purposes of myths. 

Read another myth, Moon. Identify similarities and differences. As a group activity, retell a Moon myth by role-playing and using finger puppets. 

Introduce other myths through shared, guided, independent reading. 

Discuss these Creation myths:

• myths that explain natural phenomena 
• legends about heroes and heroines

Collect and read myths and legends from a particular country. 

Read Greek and Māori myths and legends, build up a chart of the gods and goddesses included in the stories, and add the characteristics of each. 

Teach the retelling of a familiar myth. 

Websites

Encyclopedia Mythica: A searchable encyclopedia containing over 4200 articles about gods and goddesses, heroes, supernatural beings, and legendary creatures and monsters from all over the world (Aztec, Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Haitian, Hindu, Japanese, Latvian, Mayan, Native American, Norse, Persian, Polynesian, and Roman). 

Animal Legends: 24 stories about animals, such as How the Kangaroo Got His Tail.

Folk and Fairy Tales: Website Links

Aboriginal myths and legends 

Legends

Native American myths and legends 

Native American Traditional Storytelling

Greek myths 

Greek Mythology: Information about gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, lovers, and creatures.

Legend of the Minotaur

Daedalus and Icarus

Similes and metaphors 

The teacher models the writing of an original myth to explain the creation of some natural phenomena. Explore the use of similes and metaphors to create images or word pictures to make text rich and interesting. 

Similes 

We use similes in our writing to create images or word pictures that make it rich and interesting. In a simile, we say that one thing is like something else, and this is why similes usually start with like or as, as in these examples:

• The sun is like a golden orange in the sky. 
• He wandered lonely as a cloud.

(Exploring Language (p. 54), A Handbook for Teachers, Ministry of Education 1996, Learning Media Wellington NZ)

Metaphors 

A metaphor is a kind of word picture. If you say that something is something else, or speak of it as though it is something else, you are using a metaphor. 

Here are some examples:

• Knowledge is a key that opens many doors. 
• She hit the ball so hard that it rocketed across the net. 

In the first sentence, knowledge is key. In the second sentence, the ball is spoken of as though it were a rocket.

Writers use metaphors to strengthen the meaning of what they are writing about. They are so common in our everyday speech that you probably use these word pictures all the time.

Here are some examples:

• 'burning the candle at both ends' - getting up early and going to bed late 
• 'playing second fiddle' - taking a less important role and not being in the limelight 
• 'skating on thin ice' - taking risks that might be dangerous 

(Exploring Language (pp. 54,55), A Handbook for Teachers, Ministry of Education 1996, Learning Media Wellington NZ)

Explanation 

Ākonga in groups of three, create an explanation (oral or written) for:

• how a local land form was created, e.g., mountain, river, lake 
• why the kiwi lost its ability to fly.

Application of understandings gained through previous guided reading and writing experiences. These are shared with the rest of the class. 

Comparison of myths and legends across different cultural settings, for example, travel by air or sea. 

• How did Maui travel? 
• What resources were available to him? 
• How did Icarus travel? 
• What resources were available to him? 

Ākonga tape stories: retelling a favourite myth; developing awareness of structures.

Illustrated wall stories (based on the reading to, with, and by approaches): plot sequences, purpose, audience.

Read a selection of Aboriginal myths and legends (Dreamtime)

Aboriginal myths about the creation of the world have been an important part of Aboriginal culture for thousands of years. These stories come from a time long, long ago (well before the dawn of time) called the Dreamtime. 

One of these is the story of Wanmirri who, with his three brothers, learned how to light the sky at night so no one needed to be afraid of the dark. These four young men of the tribe threw their boomerangs into the campfire, where they caught alight. Then they hurled their blazing weapons into the sky, where they and their four owners have been lighting the night sky ever since. This is how stars were put in the sky.

• Dreamtime Legends  
• Aboriginal Dreamtime culture 
• Australian Dreamtime 

Shared writing 

Use shared writing to construct a myth in the style of Aboriginal or Native Indian myth to explain the appearance or characteristics of animals, plants, birds, or any natural phenomena, such as: 

• how the owl got huge eyes
• why thunder accompanies lightning
• why the bat hangs upside down.

Shared, guided, and independent writing run parallel with shared, guided, and independent reading and can be done independently or in groups. 

Shared Writing 

This is where the teacher does most of the work. They help ākonga work out what they want to say and then write it for them, either on a whiteboard, chart, book, or whatever is appropriate. During this, opportunities are taken for teaching points to be made.

Guided Writing 

Here ākonga are doing a lot of the work and have far more control, with the teacher being there to guide and help. In 1-to-1 situations, the child is writing. In group situations, the teacher can record for ākonga what they say, or the teacher can dictate the text to ākonga for them to write into their books while they are in a group. As above, the teacher steps in where appropriate for teaching points and to help children solve problems.

Independent Writing 

This is where ākonga write by themselves, and the teacher acts as the editor to check their work and do what they are unable to do.

Additional learning experiences: Learning centre activities

• Produce a comic strip to tell a favourite myth or legend. Make appropriate use of speech bubbles. 
• Rewrite a chosen myth in your own words. 
• Create a character mask. Can you create the right facial expression? 
• Take a myth or legend and turn it into a play. 
• With a friend(s) dramatise your myth or legend and perform it for the class. 
• Make glove puppets and write your own show based on a myth or legend. 
• Compose some music to accompany your play.

Ākonga will brainstorm, draft their story, edit and proofread it, have a teacher conference, and publish it.

Ākonga will use the information they have gathered from their retrieval chart and their reading log. These charts should demonstrate awareness of the origins and the differences and similarities of myths and legends.

The written text will demonstrate an understanding of the structure and special features of myths and legends and the use of language to convey a message.

You can also use the ARBs to assess students' writing. 

Exemplars  

See Materials that come with the resource to download Close reading level 3 (.pdf).

Why cats and rats are enemies

Long ago cats and rats were really good friends, they treated each other like they were brothers and sisters. One day the emperor of the heavens announced, "There will be a big race, and whoever wins will be known worldwide, be famous and be rich." "Where will it be, and when will the big race begin?" asked the dragon impatiently. "The race will be held at the fields of farmer Ka's. The race will start in the afternoon." And with that, the emperor disappeared before any other questions could be asked. 

Cat and Rat were very excited and trotted home hand in hand. When Cat and Rat reached home they just flopped into bed and fell asleep straight away. The day had come for the big race and Cat decided to take a nap just before the race. Before Cat went to have a nap he said to Rat, "Could you please wake me up before the race begins?" "I will Cat," answered Rat. 

Rat was busy getting dressed when suddenly he heard a big, loud announcement. "The race will begin in two minutes so get in place." As soon as Rat heard this, he ran out of his house and to Farmer Ka's field and into place, Rat forgot all about Cat. There were twelve animals in the race including Rat. The animals were a dragon, sheep, dog, monkey, rooster, bear, tiger, ox, horse, snake and rabbit. 

The race started. Rat wasn't a fast runner so he had an idea. He jumped on Rabbit's back and jumped onto Monkey then with a great big jump passed the finish line. Rat had won the race. Soon Cat woke up and when he heard that Rat had won, the race was over, he was furious. From that day cats and rats were enemies. Cat would never forget that day and will never forgive Rat. 

- An original story by a year 5 student

Commentary

The best fit for Sarah's completed work is level 3: 

• The chart and the story have been completed.
• The myth had been brainstormed, edited, and proofread by the author.
• The chart demonstrates awareness of the origins, and differences and similarities of myths and legends.
• The written text demonstrates an understanding of the structure and special features of myths and legends, as well as the use of languageto convey a message.

This student will continue to work within level 3. The focus for the teacher will be to encourage both oral and written development of language and the choice of words and phrases to describe feelings and perceptions.

• Myths and legends were published in the class book. This book was given to other classes within the syndicate to read during SSR.

Need to continue to focus and develop skill(s): 

• summarising in order to retell a myth or legend
• identifying and explaining meanings in text