Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Greek mythology has informed much of classical storytelling. Figures of heroes like Hercules appear as references, literary allusions, and remade characters in all sorts of media. What Greek myths are you most familiar with?

Teaching Suggestion: The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is grounded in traditional stories of Greek mythology, and while students don’t need to be aware of every aspect of that tradition, giving them this insight can help them to connect to the novel.

• The Encyclopaedia Britannica entry on Greek myth offers insights into the derivation of these myths as well as the myths themselves.
• Greek Gods and Goddesses offers a quick rundown of different Greek gods and heroes to provide useful background for students unfamiliar with this tradition.

2. The Titan’s Curse is the third entry in the Percy Jackson series. How does reading a series compare with reading a singular novel? What changes about characters and storylines?

Teaching Suggestion: The Titan’s Curse can certainly be read on its own, as Riordan provides enough context for readers to jump in; however, he makes periodic references to past events and sets up events for the remainder of the series in this novel.