Prometheus: Breaking Rules to Help Others
Exploring the myth through paired texts Day 3: Comparing purpose and message Year 7 Art - US CCSS Curriculum
Warm-Up: When Is Breaking the Rules Right?
Think silently for 30 seconds: Imagine you're told not to help someone, even though helping could make their life much better. You know if you help, you'll be punished.
Quick Write Activity
Write 3-4 complete sentences: Should a person ever break rules to help others? Explain your thinking and give one example (real or imaginary) Time: 3 minutes
Turn and Talk
Partner Discussion (2 minutes): What matters more—following rules or helping people? Why? Listen for agreement vs. disagreement Be ready to share one idea from your partner
Bridge to Today's Texts
Today we'll read two texts about Prometheus In both texts, Prometheus breaks a rule set by someone in power We'll pay attention to: • Why he makes that choice • How each author presents it • Whether authors want us to see him as hero or troublemaker
Learning Objectives
By the end of today, you will: • Compare purpose and message across two Prometheus texts • Cite evidence from both texts to support your analysis • Identify how authors use craft choices to influence their message TEKS Alignment: 6.9(A), 6.6(C)
Mini-Lesson: Paired Passage Questions
Today we'll practice: • Multi-select questions (choose more than one answer) • Multi-part questions (answer has multiple components) • Selecting best evidence from both texts • Comparing how authors present the same story differently
Who Was Prometheus?
A Titan in Greek mythology Known as a champion of humanity Credited with creating humans from clay Famous for stealing fire from the gods Suffered eternal punishment for his actions
The Basic Story
{"left":"Zeus forbids humans from having fire\nHumans live in cold and darkness\nThey cannot cook food or make tools\nLife is difficult and primitive","right":"Prometheus sees their suffering\nHe decides to help despite the rules\nSteals fire from Mount Olympus\nGives fire to humanity"}
Think About This
Before we read, consider: If you were Prometheus, would you have stolen the fire? What might influence your decision? What consequences might you face?
Reading Strategy: Purpose and Message
As you read, ask yourself: • What is the author's purpose in telling this story? • What message does the author want me to understand? • How does the author make me feel about Prometheus? • What details does the author emphasize or leave out?
Reading Time: Text 1
Read the first Prometheus text silently Time: 7-8 minutes As you read, annotate for: • Prometheus's motivations • How the author presents his choice • The consequences he faces
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