For our first book, we relied heavily on a discussion guide created by Rick Riordan, the author of The Lightning Thief. This discussion was led by a parent. We keep our discussions to an hour.Plot Summary: Wikipedia has a nice summary of The Lightning Thief. A more comprehensive synopsis is available at rickriordan.com.
Opener: We talked about many of the common words and ideas that come from Greek language and culture. From simple things like "Apollo Burger" to democratic ideas.
Discussion Starters: We got some great questions from rickriordan.com. We also came up with several questions of our own.
p. 7 Have you ever been pushed to excel by a teacher or parent like Mr. Brunner pushed Percy? How did they challenge you? What did you learn from the experience?
p. 18 Can knowledge really be "life or death?" In what way?
p. 21 Have you ever tried to protect a friend by not telling them something? Did it work? Is it better to be honest or to protect someone's feelings?
p. 22 Have you felt like "a nobody from a family of nobodies?" What do you know about your family and where you come from? How can knowing about your family help you know yourself?
p. 59 Names are powerful things. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
p. 202 Why did it take so long for Annabeth and Percy to work together? Have you ever continued to carry a grudge that was started by someone else?
p. 338 How would you feel if you went to Olympus? Have you ever been scared to go some place? How did you deal with it?
p. 345 Have you had to give up something you really wanted because it was the right thing to do?
Activities: We spent some time asking the kids what they knew about Greek gods and goddesses. We used information from the web to supplement their knowledge. We then asked them to share which of the gods they thought they were most like and why.
Refreshments: Blue M&Ms and blue Jello Jigglers
