Welcome to Club Half-Blood

Week 1: The Lightning Thief

Week 2: The Sea of Monsters

Week 4: The Battle of the Labyrinth

Week 5: The Last Olympian

Resources


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About the Book


The Titan's Curse

When Percy gets an urgent distress call from Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He and his friends find that Grover has made an important discovery: two powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. Meantime, Kronos has devised his most treacherous plot, and the young heroes have just fallen prey. Worse, an ancient monster has arisen -- one rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus -- and Artemis, the only goddess who might know how to track it, is missing. Now Percy and his friends, along with the Hunters of Artemis, have only a week to find the kidnapped goddess and solve the mystery of the monster she was hunting. Along the way, they must face their most dangerous challenge yet: the prophecy of the titan's curse.

Activities


String art


String art example

With string art, colored string is wrapped around pegs on a board to produce designs that give the illusion of curves, even though the string is pulled in straight lines. String art often is used by mathematicians—and teachers—to explain geometry and symmetry. That's because you can use string art to create circles, parbolas, ellipses, spirals, and other curves. String art also reminds me of geometric figures found in nature—like spider webs.

Some string art designs are amazingly complex. We'll experiment, though, with simple patterns. What can you create with a little bit of string and some pegs?

Questions for Discussion


The Story of Athena and Arachne


Many stories in Greek mythology involve the theme of pride--the pride of the gods and the over-reaching pride of mortals who think they are better than the gods. The story of Athena and Arachne is about pride. The following is adapted from "Bullfinch's Mythology."

There was a contest, in which a mortal dared to compete with Athena. That mortal was Arachne, a maiden who was so good at weaving and embroidery that people from all around would come to see her work. Unfortunately, Arachne thought her skill was even better than that of the goddess Athena.

"Let Athena try her skill with mine," she said. "If beaten I will pay the penalty." Athena heard this and was displeased. She assumed the form of an old woman and gave Arachne some friendly advice. "I have had much experience," said she, "and I hope you will not despise my counsel. Challenge your fellow-mortals as you will, but do not compete with a Goddess. On the contrary, I advise you to ask her forgiveness for what you have said, and as she is merciful perhaps she will pardon you."

"I am not afraid of the Goddess," Arachne replied. "Let her try her skill, if she dare." "She comes," said Athena, dropping her disguise. Arachne blushed and then grew pale. But she stood to her resolve, and challenged the goddess to a weaving contest.

Athena wove a picture that displayed her contest with Poseidon. Twelve of the heavenly powers were represented, Zeus, with august gravity, sitting in the middle. Poseidon, the ruler of the sea, holds his trident, and appears to have just smitten the earth, from which a horse has leaped forth. Athena depicted herself with helmed head. In the four corners were incidents illustrating the displeasure of the gods at mortals that had dared to contend with them. These were meant as warnings to Arachne to give up the contest before it was too late.

Arachne filled her web with subjects chosen to exhibit the failings and errors of the gods. One scene represented Leda caressing the swan, under which form Zeus had disguised himself; another depicted Europa deceived by Zeus under the disguise of a bull. Arachne filled her canvas with these subjects, wonderfully well done, but strongly marking her presumption and impiety. Athena admired the workmanship, yet felt indignant at the insult. She struck the web with her shuttle and tore it in pieces; she then touched the forehead of Arachne and made her feel her guilt and shame. Arachne could not endure it and went and hanged herself.

Athena pitied her as she saw her suspended by a rope. "Live," she said, "and that you may preserve the memory of this lesson, continue to hang, both you and your descendants, to all future times." Arachne's form shrank up, and her head grew smaller yet; her fingers cleaved to her side and served for legs. All the rest of her is body, out of which she spins her thread, often hanging suspended by it, in the same attitude as when Athena touched her and transformed her into a spider.