The Titan's Curse

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. Encourage students to think about what it means to move between the short form of one novel in comparison with a story that might be episodic in nature while also having an overall arc.

• Writers Edit describes the differences in the task of writing a standalone novel versus writing an entire series, discussing the writing process and publishing considerations.
• Indies Unlimited features a reviewer’s take on the pros and cons of writing a “standalone” novel or writing a series.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

One of the major themes of this novel is The Importance Of Found Family. Outside of your parents or guardians, where do you find a sense of family? Is it with your friends? Your teammates? What makes you feel connected to others around you?

Teaching Suggestion: Many of the demigods in this novel have difficult relationships with both their godly and human parents. The Importance Of Found Family affects characters’ choices and relationships, and students can draw on their own experiences when being attentive to this theme.

Differentiation Suggestion: Visual learners can use the prompt “Draw a group of people around whom you feel most comfortable” to draw, paint, or use another visual medium to represent their idea of a “found family.”