Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, SL.1, SL.2, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will read a play and make inferences about the plot and characters.

Key Skills

inference, text features, vocabulary, understanding genre, character, sequence of events, key details, interpreting text, critical thinking, narrative writing

Complexity Factors

Levels of Meaning: Based on a Greek myth, the play explores themes of responsibility and trust.

 

Structure: The play is chronological and has seven scenes and a prologue.

 

Language: The play includes some figurative language. The language is conversational.

 

Knowledge Demands: No special knowledge is required.

Levels

Guided Reading Level: T 

DRA Level: 50

SEL Connection

This play and lesson plan promote responsible decision-making and relationship skills

Lesson Plan: The Three-Headed Beast

Essential Questions:

  • What makes someone a hero?
  • What can we learn from Greek mythology today? How do the lessons apply to our world?

Literature Connections:

  • Novel: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
  • Graphic fiction: Poseidon: Earth Shaker (Olympians, Book 5) by George O’Connor

1. Preparing to Read 

View a Greek Mythology Primer (5 minutes)

As a class, watch our video “Into the World of Greek Mythology.” The video mentions gods and goddesses, heroes, and monsters. Encourage students to be on the lookout for these elements in  the  play they’re about to read.

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the play in their magazines or online. Then preview the text features using the following prompts:

  • Look at the illustration on the title page. Describe in detail what you see and the mood the image conveys. (In other words, how does it make you feel?) Sample answer: A three-headed beast appears as though it’s leaping out of the page. It has the heads of a goat, a lion, and a snake, as well as giant wings. The lion is breathing out flames. The creature appears scary and powerful, which causes a creepy feeling. 
  • Look at the map included with the play and read its caption. In which country would you visit the ruins of Lycia? Athens is the capital of which country? You would visit the ruins of Lycia in Turkey. Athens is the capital of Greece.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the terms (dread, hysterical, bridle, lure, dissolves) aloud and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow

Make a Plan for Reading

  • Before students read the play, set a purpose for reading by telling them that they will make inferences about “The Three-Headed Beast.” Explain that making an inference means using clues from the text to figure out something that isn’t directly stated. (You may also consider showing our “Skills in Action: What Is an Inference?” video.)

 2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

  • Assign parts to students and read the play aloud as a class. Stop after each scene and ask students to summarize what happened.
  • After reading, discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)

  • Read the Prologue. Who was Bellerophon, and why did people expect a lot from him? (character) Bellerophon was a young man who lived long ago in ancient Greece in a kingdom called Lycia. People expected a lot from him because his father was a god, and the children of other gods had done great things like defeating horrible monsters. 
  • Based on Scene 1, what are three words that describe King Iobates? Explain your choices. (character) Students may choose words like evil, jealous, scared. Iobates is evil because he takes joy from other people’s sorrow; he appears happy that a monster is destroying the nearby kingdom of Caria. He is jealous and scared because he thinks that Bellerophon wants to take his throne, though he has no reason to believe this. 
  • In Scene 2, how does Bellerophon feel about fighting the Chimera? How do you know? (inference) Bellerophon is afraid to fight the Chimera. When King Iobates chooses Bellerophon to defeat the monster, Bellerophon’s reaction is “Ummm . . . Mom?” He likely hopes his mom will step in and change the king’s mind. Bellerophon is “hysterical” as he says, “I can’t defeat a three-headed, fire-breathing, flying beast!” He feels that killing the Chimera is impossible.
  • Reread Scenes 3 and 4. What steps does Bellerophon take to prepare to fight the  Chimera? Be sure to list the steps in order. (sequence of events) Bellerophon visits the seer Polyidus, who tells Bellerophon that he needs the magical flying horse, Pegasus. Polyidus tells Bellerophon that to tame Pegasus he will need to visit the Temple of Athena. So Bellerophon visits the Temple of Athena, and Athena gives him a golden bridle. Then he finds and tames Pegasus.
  • In Scene 6, how do Pegasus and Bellerophon work as a team? (key details) Bellerophon has a moment of self-doubt when he realizes that his arrows are of “no use” against the Chimera. Pegasus neighs to encourage Bellerophon to not give up. Bellerophon then comes up with the idea to fly to the sea. He tells Pegasus to fly there, and together they defeat the Chimera.
  • In Scene 7, Bellerophon says, “I couldn’t have done it without you, Mom. Or you, Pegasus.” What does he mean? (interpreting text) At the beginning of his adventure, Bellerophon doesn’t know where to start. His mom tells him to see Polyidus, who tells him to go to the Temple of Athena. Athena gives him the golden bridle to tame Pegasus. Pegasus helps him to defeat the Chimera. Without help, Bellerophon could not have defeated the Chimera.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • What is the big lesson of this myth? Answers will vary. Students will likely write about how working with others can help one face life’s challenges. Bellerophon couldn’t have defeated the Chimera without help from his mom, Polyidus, Athena, and Pegasus. Alternatively, students may write about the importance of persisting when faced with a challenge. Throughout the play, there are several points when Bellerophon is afraid or unsure. At one point, he thinks about giving up. But he decides to continue his quest and is able to defeat the Chimera.
  • How does Bellerophon change over the course of the play? Bellerophon grows from a boy into a hero. At the beginning of the play, he’s happy “just riding horses, fishing—that kind of thing.” When King Iobates orders him to kill the Chimera, he’s afraid. But he rises to the challenge. Though he faces a moment of self-doubt when his arrows can’t stop the Chimera, he persists with his quest. Showing cleverness and bravery, he defeats the monster. 

3. Skill Building and Writing

Learn-Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

Project the task below on your whiteboard or share it with students in your LMS.

Play a Role

Playing the role of a fictional character can help you understand how that character thinks and feels.  

Choose a character from “The Three-Headed Beast” that you’re going to play. Imagine that your character is being interviewed for a news story about the defeat of the Chimera. Then make a video of yourself acting as that character.

Start your video by saying, “Hi, I’m ______.” Then answer these questions:

  • Why was it important for someone to fight the Chimera?
  • How did you feel when you learned who King Iobates wanted to fight the Chimera?
  • Did you help Bellerophon in any way?
  • Who do you think deserves the most credit for helping Bellerophon?

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Practice using stage directions to boost fluency.

Before reading the play, discuss the purpose of stage directions. Explain that they give an actor information about how a line should be spoken.

Tell students that people’s feelings or circumstances can affect the way they speak. Demonstrate this idea by asking students to try saying the phrase “It’s time for dinner” in each of the following ways:

  • happily, as if they’re hungry and can hardly wait to eat 
  • sadly, as if they’re having fun and don’t want to stop for dinner
  • with surprise, as if they thought it was much earlier
  • with concern, as if no one has made dinner

Then direct students’ attention to Pegasus’s lines in Scenes 5, 6, and 7. Tell them that Pegasus is a magical winged horse. Have them try saying Neigh according to the stage directions for each line (angrily, gently, hopefully, and proudly). Encourage students to get noisy and have fun!

Looking for more ELL support? Download our full lesson plan and scroll to p. 5 to find questions that will help your ELLs respond to the text at the level that’s right for them.

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