This unit invites learners to explore how different cultures have explained the formation of the earth itself. Through three myths drawn from the Maidu, Blackfoot, and Hawaiian traditions, learners build skills in reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and narrative writing while developing genuine appreciation for diverse cultural worldviews.

The unit culminates in a retelling project where learners take one myth and rewrite it from a different character's perspective or angle, applying everything they have learned about strong verbs, sequence writing, and narrative craft.

Primary Texts

Story / Chapter	Source Book	Cultural Origin
Turtle Dives to the Bottom of the Sea	In the Beginning — Virginia Hamilton	Maidu / California
Traveling to Form the World	In the Beginning — Virginia Hamilton	Blackfoot / Great Plains
Hiʻiaka and Wahine-Omao Seek Superheroic Adventure	Queer Mythology — Guido A. Sanchez	Hawaiian

Suggested Companion Picture BooksThese titles are ideal for reading aloud to open or close a unit. They are NOT the basis of any lesson plan.

• The Pele Stories — Gabrielle Ahuliʻi 
• The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes — Duncan Tonatiuh 
• The Story of Turtle Island by Dallas Arcand, illustrated by Faizon S
• Alternative Videos
  • Mohawk Turtle Island Myth
  • The Ojibwe Legend of Turtle Island

Science Connections: S2S Prehistory Lessons 6-8This unit pairs naturally with science instruction on plate tectonics, continents forming, volcanoes, and land rising from the sea. Look for Science Connection callouts on individual lesson pages.

Content Knowledge and Background

• Earth-diver myths, in which a small animal dives into a primordial ocean and brings up a handful of mud that becomes the first land, appear across North America, Siberia, and South Asia. The Maidu story is one of the most complete and well-known examples.
• The Blackfoot creator Old Man shapes the world through physical movement, naming and pressing the landscape into form as he travels. The story reflects a relationship between creator and land that is intimate and embodied.
• The Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanic activity, a geological reality woven into Hawaiian mythology. Pele is the volcano goddess; Hiʻiaka is her sister, associated with healing, dance, and compassion.
• Hiʻiaka and Wahine-Omao appear in Queer Mythology as figures whose love for each other is inseparable from the volcanic landscape they travel across. Their story is among the oldest queer love stories in Pacific mythology.
• The woman in the Blackfoot myth who throws the stone is one of mythology's quietly consequential figures. Her choice is not presented as a mistake or a punishment but as a decision that shapes human life.

Reading Focus Areas

• Readers identify the problem in a story and trace how characters work together or alone to solve it.
• Readers notice how a story's setting (ocean, volcano, frozen tundra) shapes what characters do and what is possible.
• When comparing two myths, readers look for what is the same and what is different, then ask: why does this difference matter?

Writing Focus Areas (Narrative)

• Use strong, specific verbs that show exactly what is happening.
• Describe a setting using sensory detail, what a character would see, hear, feel, and smell.
• Show how a character's actions lead to consequences, using sequence words: first, then, next, finally.
• Develop a focused narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Discussion and Speaking

• Describe your mental image of a setting using specific words. What details from the text led you to picture it that way?
• When sharing a response, use one piece of evidence from the text to support your interpretation.
• Practice restating a key idea in your own words before writing a response.

 Unit Vocabulary

Word	Definition	From the Text
Earth	The ground, soil, or land; also used as a proper noun (Earth Starter) in the Maidu myth	"There was water everywhere. There was no earth."
Submerged	Completely covered by water	"All was dark. There was water everywhere."
Emerge	To come out from underneath or from within something	The earth pebble grew and emerged from the water as the world.
Plunge	To dive suddenly and forcefully downward	"Turtle plunged to the bottom of the dark water."
Terrain	A stretch of land and its physical features	Old Man shaped the terrain as he traveled north.
Traverse	To travel across or through a landscape	Old Man traversed the whole world, giving each place its shape.
Sacred	Connected to something holy, deserving deep respect	The land was sacred, shaped by the creator's own hands.
Landscape	The visible features of an area of land	Hiʻiaka's love became part of the landscape around her.

  Lesson Map

#	Topic	Activities	Materials / Text
1	Predicting and Reading	Predict from the title; read the myth; discuss what surprised you	"Turtle Dives to the Bottom of the Sea" — Hamilton, Maidu
2	Important Nouns and Verbs	Review nouns and verbs; identify 3 important nouns and 3 important verbs from the story
3	Story Structure: Problem, Action, Result	Map the story using a problem/action/result organizer
4	Earth as a Proper Noun	Explore when "earth" is capitalized and why; common vs. proper nouns
5	How / Why / When / Where	Expand kernel sentence "Turtle brought up the earth" using how, why, when, and where
6	Mental Images	Read new myth; pause to sketch or describe mental images while reading	"Traveling to Form the World" — Hamilton, Blackfoot
7	Strong Verbs	Identify Old Man's creation verbs; replace weak verbs with stronger ones
8	Sequence and Transition Words	Retell the story using transition words: first, then, next, after, finally, as a result
9	The Woman and the Stone	Discuss the ending; opinion writing: was the woman's choice fair?
10	Compare the Two Myths	How is land created differently in each story? Use at least two specific details from each text	Both Hamilton myths
11	Read and Respond: Hiʻiaka	Read the myth; describe how characters are connected to the landscape	"Hiʻiaka and Wahine-Omao" — Sanchez, Hawaiian
12	Character Study: Hiʻiaka	Map her powers, her quest, and her relationships; strong verbs from the text
13	Love and Landscape	How does the natural world reflect the relationship? Queer mythology discussion
14	Earth Myth Comparison Chart	Compare all three myths across key story elements	All three texts
15	Essential Question and Thesis	Draft a thesis in response to the essential question	All texts
16	Brainstorm: Choose a Myth to Retell	Choose one myth; pick a character; brainstorm what changes	Learner's choice
17	Plan the Retelling	Use a story organizer to plan beginning, middle, and end	Learner's brainstorm
18	Draft the Retelling	Write the first draft; use strong verbs and sequence words	Learner's plan
19	Editing: Strong Verbs Pass	Revise for strong verbs; check mechanics with checklist	Learner's draft
20	Publish	Write final copy; reflect on the unit	Edited draft