Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief Novel Study Activities

Capture the excitement of Greek mythology and improve comprehension. For each chapter of The Lightning Thief, kids meet a mythological character, summarize, tackle questions, and explore vocabulary. The Percy Jackson novel study also includes pre-reading background information on the Olympians, activities, related stories, and answers.

Now you can elevate your unit from ho-hum to fantastic! Engagement is at an all-time high as your students journey to the realm of gods and heroes.

This novel study includes everything you’ll need. Here’s what you can expect.

First, you’ll get directions and ideas for differentiation with comprehensive teaching materials.

• Getting Started with The Lightning Thief (Book 1 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series)
• Differentiation – Making the Book Accessible
• How to Explain a Chapter Title

Second, you’ll prepare your students with pre-reading activities. The background information will provide a solid foundation of both mythology and astronomy.

• The Olympians – Four pages will illustrations introduce the Greek gods and goddesses: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Hestia. A section called “Overthrowing Kronos” explains their war with the Titans.
• Solstices & Equinoxes – A one-page information sheet explains these points in Earth’s revolution around the Sun.

Third, everyone will read! You’ll enjoy the simplicity of one worksheet per chapter as kids immerse themselves in the world of Percy Jackson. On each template, students learn Greek mythology, summarize, answer brief comprehension questions, and explore vocabulary. You can use them for discussion, independent and/or group work.

• Featured Character or Place – A picture and brief text introduce one mythological creature, deity, hero, or location related to the chapter: the Furies, the Fates, satyrs, the Minotaur, Chiron, Perseus, naiads, hellhounds, oracles, Argus, Medusa, Pan, the Chimera, Echidna, Eros, lotus-eaters, Procrustes, Cerberus, Persephone, Tartarus, Mount Olympus, and harpies. This section of the worksheet seamlessly integrates Greek mythology into your novel study.
• Explain the Title – In The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan uses clever chapter titles to focus on a major event. Students explain each in a short summary.
• What Does It Mean? An additional question asks kids to explore another event from the chapter. To answer, they consider what they’ve learned about Percy Jackson, his friends, and/or his enemies.
• Key Vocabulary – Six words are provided for each chapter.

You can also challenge kids to match the cabin to the Greek god or goddess. Using textual evidence, kids determine which cabin is reserved for children of a specific godly parent. It’s a great extension activity!

As a bonus, you can connect the dots between ancient and modern literature with four related myths. In addition to enjoying a popular novel, kids can delve into the rich tapestry of Greek mythology.

• Prometheus (1 page)
• Perseus & Medusa (2 pages)
• Perseus & Atlas (1 page)
• Perseus & Andromeda (1 page)

What makes this a must-have resource?

• Background information increases interest and understanding.
• Each one-page chapter worksheet is simple yet thought-provoking.
• Extension activities and reading passages seal the deal.
• Need digital? No problem. The resources are also included as Google Slides and Easel Activities.

Enjoy teaching!

Brenda Kovich