Famous Men of Greece · Ch. VIII · Unit 3: The Trojan War and Ulysses

11. Achilles, Bravest of Greeks

Goal: Your child can retell the main events of the Trojan War, from Achilles's heel to the wooden horse.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 6 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

  • A map or globe (a free online map works well)
  • A notebook or paper and colored pencils
  • Your timeline (a long strip of paper on the wall, or a notebook page)

What's in the book

Thetis dips baby Achilles in the Styx. Ulysses finds him hiding on Scyros. Achilles quarrels with Agamemnon; Patroclus dies in his armor; Vulcan makes new armor; Achilles kills Hector and is killed by Paris. Ulysses takes the Palladium, the Greeks build the wooden horse, and Troy falls.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

    Ask: Why did the Greeks go to Troy? Who was their commander?

  2. Read the chapter together

    Read pages 79–89 aloud, or let your child read and help with the hard names. This is a long chapter with many pictures. You can pause after Achilles's death and finish the wooden horse after a short break.

  3. Narration

    Close the book. Ask your child to tell the story back in their own words, from the beginning. Don't correct as they go; just listen. If they get stuck, use a prompt:

    - Why could Achilles be hurt only in his heel?

    - How did Ulysses trick Achilles into showing who he was?

    - Why did Achilles stop fighting?

    - How did the Greeks finally get inside Troy?

  4. Talk it over

    Ask:

    1. Why did Achilles go back to fighting?

    2. Why did the Trojans pull the horse inside? Was that wise?

    3. Who was clever in this story, and who was brave?

  5. Remember it

    SayToday a person's "Achilles heel" is their one weak spot.

    "Good Vulcan, make for my son such a suit of armor as never mortal has worn."

  6. Something extra

    Build a wooden horse from a cardboard box, or draw it outside the walls of Troy with soldiers hidden inside.

Afterwards

Your child tells the story of the wooden horse to another family member.

Tip

There is a lot of fighting in this chapter. Keep the focus on friendship (Achilles and Patroclus) and cleverness (the horse).

Answers to the book's problems

1. His friend Patroclus was killed, and he forgot his own wrongs. 2. Sinon told them it would protect their city like the Palladium. It was not wise; it was full of armed men. 3. Clever: Ulysses (finding Achilles, the Palladium, the horse) and Sinon. Brave: Achilles, Patroclus, Hector.

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

@teddyrookbook GitHub