Greek Myths: Supplemental Guide 3A | Demeter and Persephone 61
- Literal What happens to all of the plants and crops when
Demeter begins to despair that she will never be able to
retrieve her daughter? (The grass turns brown; the wheat
stops growing; every tree, vine, and fi eld is bare.)
Show image 3A-6: Zeus talking to Hades in the underworld
- Inferential Why does Zeus try to persuade Hades to return
Persephone to Demeter? (He knows that the people will starve
if nothing grows on the earth.) - Inferential Hades returns Persephone to her mother, but only
for part of the year. Why? (Persephone ate six pomegranate
seeds, and so has to return to the underworld for six months
of the year.)
[Please continue to model the Think Pair Share process for students,
as necessary, and scaffold students in their use of the process.]
I am going to ask a question. I will give you a minute to think about
the question, and then I will ask you to turn to your neighbor and
discuss the question. Finally, I will call on several of you to share
what you discussed with your partner. - Evaluative Think Pair Share: Do you think this myth is the real
explanation for why there are seasons on Earth? Why do you
think there are seasons on Earth? (Answers may vary.)
[Note: Later in the year, students will learn that Earth’s tilt and
orbit around the sun causes the seasons.] - After hearing today’s read-aloud and questions and answers,
do you have any remaining questions? [If time permits, you
may wish to allow for individual, group, or class research of
the text and/or other resources to answer these questions.]